Actions & Consequences
by KColl2003
Summary: For every action there is a consequence. FINISHED.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Actions & Consequences Rating: R (For Language later) Relationships: X\F Story: Action\Adventure Feedback: In lieu of a Faithbot yeah. E-Mail: KeithWrestle@Yahoo.Co.uk Disclaimer: I don't own the characters just worship at their altar. Credits: Koos, this is your fault. Summary: Every action has a consequence.  
  
Actions & Consequences  
  
1700 BC. Mesopotamia  
  
Mallac hurried across the compound, the sweltering heat from the sun blazing down on him not warming his chilling blood. Finally he reached his destination, the compound's largest tent, pushing aside the opening he entered then dropped to his hands and knees, pressing his nose to the sand and his eyes looking firmly downwards. "It has happened, Belar has died?"  
  
His master's voice usually so confident and assured trembled with the emotion of the moment, a moment that would shape the world. "The prophet has died," he confirmed, his own tone hushed with respect.  
  
"And he spoke?"  
  
Mallac risked looking up at his master, a manoeuvre that when executed without permission would usually see him punished for his impudence. He saw a tall, gaunt-featured man with dusky skin, a wiry iron-grey beard that hung down to his waist, and strong, intimidating brown eyes. "He spoke," he confirmed.  
  
His lord pursed his lips before irritably slapping at one of the many flies flying around his head. It was rumoured his lord never bathed for fear that the water might wash away his holiness. Mallac didn't know if it was true but when his sister had marked her rite of womanhood by the first bleeding and been given to their lord for her first night as was the law she'd stunk so much afterwards that he hadn't cared to be with her for almost a week afterwards. And she was a rare beauty. After a few seconds the camp leader spoke. "And his words, they were written down?"  
  
"In the prescribed manner sir," Mallac nodded. "On a young girl's skin with her virgin blood."  
  
"Then let me see them." He wordlessly passed the parchment over. His master read the writings, muttering under his breath as he did so. Finally he looked up, his usual piercing gaze replaced by a look of confusion. "This doesn't make any sense," his leader commented. "'From a Slayer's womb?' There can only be one Slayer, shouldn't it read the Slayer? And Slayers are virgin warriors, champions, unsullied by the touch of man. And what is the mention of a good vampire, what foolishness is this?"  
  
"What do you wish us to do mi' lord?" Mallac once again lowered his head to the ground in readiness to receive his chief's instructions. "Command and we will obey."  
  
His lord nodded. "Then this is what I Abu Kali order. On this day, the Order of Kali, the Kalians is formed, from this day we will watch the Slayer line and when they come we will be ready. And when they do they, and the world, will be ours!"  
  
1999 AD. Sunnydale, California.  
  
Xander's heart pounded as the sultry Slayer approached him, her gypsy-brown eyes filled with invitation. She couldn't mean it could she? She actually wanted him? He never thought in his wildest dreams that his first time would be with somebody like her. He moaned slightly as the brunette smiled and ran her hand down his body to his crotch. "I'm suddenly *very* up. It's just, um," he grinned sheepishly. "I've never been up with people before." God, this was embarrassing.  
  
Suddenly Faith grabbed his jaw and kissed him full on the lips, her tongue plunging into his mouth with expertness that neither Cordy nor Will could have matched. "Just relax... And take your pants off."  
  
She started to drag his shirt and jacket off, her eyes hungry with desire. God, she actually wanted him.  
  
"Those two concepts are antithetical," he babbled. How could something he wanted so much at the same time be so terrifying?  
  
Faith laughed before throwing his clothes onto the grubby hotel floor. What was she doing living in a place like this anyhow? This was wrong, did the G-Man know? She should be-.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted when the raven-haired beauty pulled him into a passionate embrace, kissed him savagely, and threw him down onto the bed. After giggling the Bostonian Slayer jumped up onto the bed and straddled him. His eyes widened as Faith dragged off her own shirt, oh lordy he'd hit the jackpot. "Don't worry. I'll steer you around the curves."  
  
1999 AD. Sunnydale California  
  
Xander shook his head, that wasn't he meant. "No. N-n-n-n-no, that's not it."  
  
Faith smirked. "*I* know what this is all about." The brunette crowded him, forcing him backwards. "You just came by here," she ran her fingers down his face. God, even as scared he was right now her touch was intoxicating, like heroin to an addict. "'Cause you want another taste, don't you?"  
  
Xander shook his head. "No! I mean, it was nice. It was great. It was kind of a blur. But, okay, some day, sure, yay, but not now. Not like this."  
  
Faith grabbed his hand forcing it onto her body, although truth be told he didn't resist much. "More like how then? Lights on or off? Kinks or vanilla?"  
  
Finally he found the strength of will to pull away. "Faith, come on. I came here to help you." He looked her in the eye so she could see his sincerity. "I thought we had a connection."  
  
Faith laughed, not the reaction he'd been looking for. Suddenly she was lifting him by his shirt and throwing him onto the bed before jumping on him, a maniac, terrifying, smile on her face. "You wanna feel a connection? It's just skin." The buttons on his shirt flew off as she tore it open. "I see... I want... I take." The brunette slammed her lips onto his with a frightening ferocity. "I forget." Even as she spoke her hands rubbed his chest and shoulders.  
  
Xander managed a nervous denial. "No. No, wait. It was more than that." It was wasn't it?  
  
Faith didn't seem to have heard his words; instead her eyes gleamed with a lust he'd only previously seen on blood-thirsty vampires. "I could do anything to you right now, and you want me to. I can make you scream." The brunette began to slide her tongue over and around his face before returning her attention back to his lips, kissing him forcefully, seizing his lower lip between her teeth and pulling at it, gnawing down on it. Suddenly she pulled away, her eyes alight with excitement. "I could make you die."  
  
She kissed him again. Then suddenly her hand was around his throat, squeezing, her lips never moving from his. Xander reached up with one hand to try to push her away while attempting to pry her hand from his neck with his other, but it was futile, like pushing against stone. He vaguely felt Faith's other hand join the other around his neck and then he lost consciousness. 


	2. 2

FIC: Actions & Consequences (2/?)  
  
Mar '99 Sunnydale  
  
"Boss, I've got a problem."  
  
Wilkins looked up, his customary smile slipping at the troubled look on his darling daughter's pale face. She didn't look well at all. "What's wrong Faithie?" he asked. "Has something happened with those gosh darn Scoobies?"  
  
"Nah. It's nothing like that," the brunette looked down at the floor.  
  
"Come now dear," he walked around the desk and put an arm around her slender shoulders, oh lordy she was just too thin, so tiny. "Has some boy with a fast mouth insulted you?" He smiled to himself as the beauty's chocolate eyes rolled back and a slight smirk tugged at her full lips. He knew he overdid the folksy act, but if it brought a smile to his girl's face it was worth it.  
  
"Nah," the girl swallowed.  
  
"Come on," he encouraged, squeezing her shoulders. "You can tell me anything."  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
"Oh really," he beamed. "That's splendid news!"  
  
Faith looked surprised and then relieved. "Really?"  
  
"Yes, why we'll have to build a nursery, hire some help for you." Already his mind was whirling with plans. Just a few weeks ago, he didn't have a daughter, now he was going to have a grandchild!  
  
"No, I can't keep it," Faith whispered.  
  
His head snapped towards the Slayer. "What?"  
  
"I..I come from bad stock. I'll be a lousy ma, like mine."  
  
"Faith, that's utter nonsense," he hastened to reassure the young girl. "You'll make a splendid mother."  
  
"No I won't," the Slayer shook her head, her expression defiant. "This is a bad idea."  
  
"Faith," he decided on a firmer tone. "I'm afraid I'll have to put my foot down, I won't allow you to have an abortion-."  
  
The brunette looked horrified. "Kill my baby?" she shook her head. "I'd never kill my baby. I want you to organise an adoption for it. A real good family, someone who's got nothing to do with this shit and who'll raise my baby proper."  
  
"Faith," Wilkins decided to pull his horns in. "If that's what you want." At least that would give him time to work on Faith, get her to change her mind. "How far are you gone?"  
  
"Six weeks."  
  
He nodded. "And the father, does he know? Will he be a problem?" If the young man decided to make trouble, then he'd just have to disappear.  
  
The Slayer smiled slightly, it was a bitter twisted thing that didn't belong on his daughter's sweet face. "Doubt it, seeing as we're trying to kill him and his running buddies."  
  
"Oh good gracious," his mouth dropped open. "You're not telling me-."  
  
"Last guy I slept with without protection was Xan," Faith nodded. "Last man I slept with period."  
  
* * *  
  
Sept '99, Sunnydale  
  
Dr. Allen stared with wonder at the two new-borns. It was a miracle, a true marvel, those babies should be dead, as should their mother. He glanced down at the comatose teen, it was amazing that she still lived. He remembered the night she was brought in, the surgeons in attendance had been stunned she was still alive and sure she wouldn't last the night.  
  
Her injuries had rendered her a complete vegetable, a cripple with multiple fractures, a perforated kidney, a collapsed lung, and suffering considerable blood loss. And yet, not only had she survived, she was somehow healing, each day inching her way to consciousness. It was almost enough to make one believe in a higher power.  
  
Except.... "What's going to happen to you little ones?" he muttered sadly. Their mother in a coma, and even if she awoke, their mother's adoptive father was dead and their own father nowhere in sight. "I only wish I could answer that."  
  
"Well I can."  
  
Dr. Allen turned to see a middle-aged man with slicked back grey hair and a striped suit stood in the doorway. "Who are you?" he glanced at the slumbering girl. He couldn't be the babies' father, he had to be three times her age. "Mr. Jose Luis," the man stuck out a hand. "Attorney at law."  
  
He looked with distaste at the man's hand. A lawyer, he might have guessed. If he said a word about being the children's father he'd be on the phone to hospital security so fast. "And what is your business here?" he demanded frostily.  
  
The lawyer's oily smile didn't slip an inch as he reached into a briefcase and pulled out a sheaf of papers. "We were lawyers of record for Mayor Wilkins," after the obligatory pause of respect for the revered public servant, the officer of the court continued. "Before his unfortunate demise he organised an adoption for those babies upon their birth."  
  
After passing the babies over to a nurse Dr. Allen gave the papers a cursory look. They seemed alright but he was hardly a legal-eagle. "The hospital legal department and social services will have to look them over before any hand over can take place."  
  
The lawyer nodded. "Take all the time you need. Wolfram & Hart can wait."  
  
* * *  
  
May '03 Sunnydale  
  
Faith sauntered into the kitchen, her casual display of confidence hiding her nervousness. She'd sort of wanted this to be unobtrusive, just help out and then work out what she was doing, - going back to prison, fighting the good fight, or just running but that geeky asshole Andrew had screwed it up for her. Now every single one of the wannabes was staring at her with a combination of fear, loathing, and respect. She didn't mind her cellmates looking at her like that, it meant they would leave her the fuck alone. But here, she'd wanted if not friendship, then at least acceptance.  
  
Well thanks to the nerd that was fucked. If she ever decided to kill someone again, he was top of the list. Suddenly she heard the sound of a buzzsaw outside. "What's that?" she allowed her hand to move towards the kitchen knives in case of trouble.  
  
And got slapped across her knuckles for her effort. "I've just cleaned them," Andrew scolded. She glared at the youth but he continued to speak, blithely unaware how close he was to getting a broken nose. "That's Xander," the sci-fi nerd's eyes took on a dreamy look. "He's so good with his hands. Great with an ax, amazing with a hammer."  
  
"Um, uh," Faith gave the youth a look of thinly veiled amusement. Guess who had a major crush. Her good humour dissipated as she stood, she sure as shit didn't want to do this but she had to. "That coffee just brewed?" Andrew nodded. "How does Xan take his?"  
  
"Strong black," the geek started to stand, a look of eagerness on his face. "You think I should take him one?" "Sit down," Faith instructed as she poured the steaming coffee. Damn, she hoped he did like it strong, 'cause this stuff was thicker than oil. "I'll take it." Swallowing slightly she walked through the back door and stopped. "Down girl," she muttered as she licked her lips. Damn, it had been a long time since she got some tail if she thought Xman looked tempting.  
  
But he did look good, all stripped to the waist. He'd bulked up some, showing muscles that didn't have the definition of a bodybuilder but were more rugged, functional. He hadn't had those the night she'd boned him, or the night she-, forcing the thought away she stepped forward. "Hey Xman."  
  
After a second, the man looked up, his face anything but friendly. "Faith."  
  
Not a good start, she offered the cup. "Brought coffee."  
  
"Too busy to drink," the man turned his attention back to whatever he was trying to make.  
  
"Oh, okay," Faith put the cup down on the windowsill. "Maybe you'll be thirsty later."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Shit, she'd got less hostility off a vampire pack than she was getting off Xan. "What you making?"  
  
"Bookends for Giles," the man didn't look up.  
  
Fuck, this was like talking to Angel in one of his broods, a comparison that neither of them would probably appreciate. "Xman, I just wanna-."  
  
"I'm busy here Faith," Xander looked up. "And we've really got nothing to say."  
  
Defeated by the carpenter's disdain she turned away, damn it, he was Mr. Second Chance, why wouldn't he just let her try? What made her so different, so unworthy of another chance. "Five by five." He probably didn't care enough about her – not like Red and B.  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy was fuming, she'd been heading inside with the groceries she'd looted from the mall - and the new shoes but they were a necessity, and had seen Xander being so unxanderlike towards Faith. "Girls, take the groceries in through the front door."  
  
"But it's quicker throu-."  
  
Rona's mouth snapped shut at her glare. "I know it is, but I've some stuff to talk through with Xander." She waited until the others had started towards the front before hurrying round the back of the house. "Alexander Lavelle Harris!" she exclaimed angrily. "That was so out of line!"  
  
Xander looked up. The look in her friend's eyes was cold enough to make her take a back-step. He'd looked at her like that twice before –when the Master's disciples had kidnapped Willow and the others because of her, and when they'd found out about Angel's return. It was moments like these that reminded her how truly dangerous Xander could be. "It's none of your business Buffy."  
  
The man made to return to his work but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back upright. "It is so my business," she corrected angrily. "You're both living in my house and we've got enough problems without you acting like an ass towards her. And she's come here to help us, she deserves a second chance."  
  
"Yeah, Buffy you're real good at forgiving murderers aren't you?" Xander snapped at her, she flinched. Xander's face fell. "I'm sorry, that was out of line," he took a breath. "I'll be civil to her. But I'm not going to pretend like we're friends okay?" Without waiting for her reply, the male Scooby returned his attention to the wood he was working on.  
  
"Xander, you've got to -."  
  
Her friend's face snapped up, his eyes blazing with a fury she'd never seen before, not even on the night Spike had slept with Anya or when the vampire tried to rape her. "You've no idea what she took from me so just leave it Buffy, okay?"  
  
* * *  
  
May '03 LA  
  
Daniel Wolfe drummed his fingers on the desk, his eyes flaring with impatience at the length of time the business meeting was taking. Finally he decided to cut to the chase. "And Ms. Morgan?"  
  
"She's been returned to the ninth dimension," the speaker, a short mousy- looking woman in her late twenties.  
  
Wolfe nodded in satisfaction. The ninth dimension was hell's premier torture zone where the most evil human souls and the most notorious demons congregated to torture those foolish or incompetent enough to incur the wrath of hell's overlords. Morgan had to pay for her failure to bring Angelus over to their side. "How long is she to be interned there?"  
  
"A decade." Wolfe shook his head. "That's far too lenient. Make it a century." A ripple of horrified conversation ran through the conference room. "People," at his voice the room fell instantly quiet. Gratified at the fear he generated he continued. "The last administration was far too lenient, and as a result Angel and his motley band of do-gooders gave this law firm the run-around. This stops now. Our first priority is no longer to turn Angel to our side but to wipe him from the face of the earth!"  
  
* * *  
  
May '03, Sunnydale  
  
Faith took a breath, the smell of disinfectant clinging to the back of her throat and just the sight of the hospital entrance sign causing her blood to chill. This was the place where she'd spent eight months in a coma, where they'd taken her -. Forcing the thought away before she ended up in her inevitable flood of tears, she started towards the hospital doors; her u seal grace deserting her replaced a nervous stagger.  
  
She sure as hell didn't want to be here but she had to be. She deserved to be punished but it was more than that, she had to make sure he was five by five. B was kinda distracted so getting reassurance from her was difficult but Dawn, and herself if she was totally honest, had to make sure he was gonna be okay.  
  
As okay as someone who'd just had his eye gouged by a psycho fuck. Faith stopped, tears blurring her vision, seeing a toilet door she shoved it open and stumbled inside. "Damn it!" her side kick took the tampon machine off the wall even as she lurched inside the nearest cubicle to slump down on the seat, tears rolling down her cheeks. Why did it have to be him? Her, B, Red, hell even G had blood on their hands, but Xman all he ever tried to do was help people. She smiled painfully, she just hoped her babies got their Ma's looks and the dad's good heart. Fuck knows where their brains would come from though. Her composure returning, she used the cubicle's paper towels to wipe her eyes before leaving. She could do this.  
  
* * *  
  
"'Cuse me," Sister Thomas looked up to see a beautiful brunette in her later teens, early twenties, stood at the reception counter. "This is the ward Xan's on?" At her puzzled look, the girl smiled in embarrassment. "Sorry, Alexander Harris."  
  
Oh yes, she'd seen him. Brought in with all those terribly wounded girls last night. Quite the incident even allowing for Sunnydale's strangeness. "I'm afraid Alexander isn't up to seeing visitors unless family. Are you family?"  
  
"Uh, no. But I'm here for his little sis," the girl babbled. "Her big sis won't let her out to see him, 'cause of you know.."  
  
Sister Thomas stared at the girl, noting her slightly red eyes and puffy cheeks. Obviously this young man meant a great deal to her, perhaps she was a girl friend or something. After a second she nodded. "Very well . This is strictly against hospital policy mind, Mr. Harris is in room 301."  
  
The brunette treated her to a dazzling smile. "Thanks ma'am."  
  
* * *  
  
"Red, Xman, how ya doing?"  
  
Xander stiffened at the Slayer's nervous voice coming from the doorway. He didn't roll over to face her. "Fuck off Faith."  
  
Willow's face paled. "Xander!"  
  
"It's five by five Red, don't sweat it," the Bostonian sounded hurt, that was good, make her feel some of the pain she'd caused him. "I just came in to say all the girls are missing him. See ya around."  
  
"Xander!" Willow stood and glanced towards the door. "That was so out of line."  
  
Xander chuckled bitterly. "You really have joined the sisterhood haven't you? Taking Faith's side."  
  
"It's not about sides, it's about doing the right th-, oh I'll be back in a minute," Willow hurried out of the room.  
  
* * *  
  
Willow hurried out of the room, her mind awhirl with a dozen conflicting emotions. Xander never behaved like this, she'd think it was his meds or the shock but from what Buffy said he'd already had one go at Faith and even Buffy when she'd tried to go to Faith's defence. Not at all like Xander. "Faith, wait!" the Slayer continued to walk away. "Oh balderdash!" knowing she couldn't hope to catch up to the Bostonian through normal means, she muttered a quick spell. Instantly Faith slowed down.  
  
The Slayer turned to face her, even at a distance, Willow could see the brunette's chocolate-brown eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "Damn it," she growled. "I'm not going to put up with your gloating, just let me go!"  
  
"I'm not going to gloat." Willow covered the last few yards in a rush. "I'm sorry about what Xander said. He was out of line."  
  
The brunette looked surprised then nodded. "Thanks Red."  
  
Encouraged by the other woman's look of relief she continued. "He'll come round Faith."  
  
"Why should he?" Faith replied bitterly. "I fucking tried to kill him remember?"  
  
"So did I."  
  
"Yeah, but you're his Willow, he'd forgive you sleeping with Anya and not videoing it."  
  
Willow giggled. "I doubt he'd forgive that," she commented before hesitating. "Do you want him back?"  
  
"What, me and Xan?" For the first time since she'd fled from the hospital room, the ghost of a smile played on the raven-haired Slayer's lips. "Fuck no, Red. You know me, I don't back-track."  
  
"Maybe you should." The sultry Bostonian glanced at her, her eyes filling with surprise. Willow grinned. "Maybe I was against you last time, but in a choice between you and Anya."  
  
Faith cocked her head back and laughed. "Thanks Red," Faith grinned. "I needed that." The brunette's smirk dissipated like the early morning mist. "No, I just remember how nice he was to me, always seemed to give a shit about me. Back in the day, I thought it was just his angle to get laid," the brunette shrugged her shoulders. "Now I realised he's just another endangered species."  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"A nice guy," Faith looked down at the ground. "I thought there might be a chance I could get that back, have a bud, but that ain't gonna happen is it?"  
  
"Hey," Willow squeezed the Slayer's forearm. "Give it time."  
  
"Somehow I don't think the son of a preacher man is gonna give us much," the east coast native commented darkly.  
  
* * *  
  
May '03, LA  
  
Wolfe glared helplessly at the piles of folders littering the floor of his office. He'd been working for days now, going over the records of clients Angel had crossed, but nothing – either the victims were not powerful enough or simply too scared to face off against the souled vampire again, As a long-shot he'd turned his attention to the records of those he'd crossed before coming to LA, but again nothing. And now he was on the last file, that of Mayor Richard Wilkins. Suddenly his eyes widened. He had it, leverage. 


	3. 3

Actions & Consequences (3/?)  
  
Jun '03, Greenwich Connecticut  
  
Charles Ashford stared proudly at his children as they played in the games room, their entire attention focused on the adventures of their stuffed toys. He wiped at a proud tear as his Hope leapt up and engulfed her brother in a hug. "Get off Hoppy!" Alex screamed, a look of mortification on his face.  
  
Yes, they were a couple of prizes there was no doubt about. Every day he thanked his old friend Richard Wilkins, a business man he'd run security for on his east coast businesses, for getting in touch four years ago with news of a young girl who worked in his office who'd got in trouble with a boy from the wrong side of the streets. Unable to have children of their own, he and his wife had jumped at the chance to adopt the twins.  
  
And whatever their biological parents' problems, they'd certainly passed on good genes to their children. Both the three year olds were adorable with the darkest eyes, most brilliant smiles, and more energy than a caffeine freak. Just a sharp as knives too, very intelligent. They could be anything they wanted – movie stars, athletes, scientists, the world was their oyster, he and his millions would make sure of that.  
  
Suddenly Alex looked up at him, his dark eyes shining. "Daddy, you wanna play?"  
  
Charles smiled at his son. "I'd love to Alex, just -," his head turned at a slight sound in the front room. "Stay in here," he ordered, his hand dropping to the .32 he carried under his jacket. As head of the nationwide Ashford Executive Security and a former Secret Service agent, he was licensed to carry a firearm and if someone was breaking into his house, threatening his children, then they were going to get a very unpleasant surprise. "And be quiet until daddy comes back."  
  
He moved quickly into the corridor, his movements smooth and controlled, three decades of training and experience coming to the fore. Reaching the lounge door, he kicked it open and strode in, a confident expression on his face as he drew his automatic. "Drop to the gr-."  
  
His voice stuck in his throat and his gun dropped through nerveless fingers as he registered the impossible sight before him. There stood a grey scaled nine foot tall biped with no eyes but a huge curved horn sticking out of its forehead, feasting on his wife's lifeless body. Suddenly the monster was on him, its huge hand around his throat, squeezing inexorably. His last thought before his larynx collapsed was that he'd failed in a parent's most important duty – to protect his children.  
  
* * *  
  
Hauser spoke into his radio as he exited the house. "Romulus and Remus are secured," he muttered even as he watched the two sedated children being flung into the back of the van. "Be careful with the cargo!" he bawled.  
  
His plan had worked perfectly. Aware of Ashford's reputation in the world of security he'd realised that the only certain way not to suffer any causalities would be to use something even Ashford would be unprepared for - a demon. He looked back at the three storey mansion. "Are the children secured?" he asked into his mouthpiece.  
  
His earpiece crackled with static for a second. "Both in place."  
  
He nodded in satisfaction. It had taken a couple of days but they'd managed to find and snatch a pair of children the same age and size as their targets. The orphanage they snatched them from would report a pair of runaways, but the amount of effort the police would put into tracking down two children with no family would be practically non-existent. "Get out then, time to blow the house." Four bodies burnt to a frazzle, all the hallmarks of a tragic accident, a gas leak. Nobody would suspect a thing.  
  
* * *  
  
Ten days after 'Chosen', San Diego  
  
Faith stared at the lonely figure stood on the hotel veranda, his back bent as if carrying the weight of the world. She supposed it was a good sign, him being out of his hotel room, he hadn't left it since they'd booked themselves in. But he looked so wrecked. Summoning up her courage, she strode over. "Hi," she whispered.  
  
Xander flinched at her voice. She in turn cringed, fuck he wasn't still frightened of her after all these years was he? She'd made mistakes in the past but she'd never hurt any of them again, him least of all. "Just leave me alone," he ordered, his voice husky with pain and sorrow. "I haven't the energy to deal with you right now."  
  
Instead, Faith started to talk. "I'm sorry about your loss, Xman. If sometime you wanna cut loose, tell stories about Anya to someone who didn't know her, maybe you'd keep me in mind." When her words didn't get a reaction, she tried again, putting a jauntier note into her voice. "Now that the First's toast, and there's a ton of Slayers, what ya gonna do? 'Cause if you're leaving, I was hoping we could hang for a while firs-."  
  
Xander turned to face her. "Hang with you?" the look that her one-eyed companion was contemptuous to say the least. "Hang with the cold-hearted bitch tried to kill me and everybody that tried to help her? That chose a black mage over us? No thanks, I've picked up enough scars recently, I don't need another one in my back to match the one you put there last time."  
  
Oh fuck this, Faith's temper snapped. She had Angel, Wes had forgiven her, she'd been accepted by Red, Ken, and Pip, all the junior Slayers respected her, Wood maybe loved her, and her and B were at least talking again. She didn't have to put up with Xander's crap. "You know when me and Red were on the way to Sunnyd, I was crapping myself with thoughts of what sort of reception I'd get from B, G, and Pip. One person I didn't worry about though was you. You know why? 'Cause I remembered this sweet guy who always tried to help a stupid little bitch who was too suspicious for her own good. I knew that Xander wouldn't hold a grudge, it wasn't in him. Trouble is I get back to Sunnyd and that Xander isn't there, in his place there's this grade A asshole. Well you can go to hell, I really looked forward to seeing you again, hooking up, maybe taking you up on that friendship you were always offering. Well I don't fucking need or want to be buds with the new improved Xander. The other one comes back, give me a call."  
  
Faith turned to leave, only for Xander to grab her by the shoulder and spin her round to face him, his single eye glaring coldly at her. "You finished?" Xander asked. Without waiting for an answer he continued. "Then go fuck yourself. Better yet have Woodie do the job, poor bastard." The man released his grip. "If I want to talk to someone about Anya, I'll go to Giles, Will, or another member of my family. And that doesn't include you. And it never will. Turn on them again and I'll kill you, Angel, Wood, and anybody who takes your side."  
  
* * *  
  
"Faith are you-."  
  
Her glare caused Andrew's words to die in his throat, as she stormed through the hotel corridor. God, if she hadn't walked away from him, she'd have done something to him, something real bad. She didn't know what it was about Xan that got to her, some of the guards inside had been far cruder towards her but she'd never once reacted until they tried to get physical.  
  
Maybe it was because despite everything that had happened, she respected him for getting involved in the demon-fighting biz by choice, not being forced into it like her or B. What Red had told her about Xan saving the world from her when B couldn't had shaken her, she didn't think anybody could succeed at something that B couldn't, but Xman had managed it.  
  
Tears of humiliation blurring her vision, she reached her hotel room. Unable to find her key she let out a frustrated snarl and kicked the door open. Striding in she looked around. "Woodie?" God she needed to feel his arms around her, to hear him tell her she wasn't a worthless slut. Her shoulders slumped when she didn't receive an answer. "Damn it Woodie, where are you?" she muttered. Deciding she'd have to make do with a morale- boosting call to Angel she moved over to the phone by the bed.  
  
And stopped at the sight of an envelope on the bed. She lifted the manila envelope. "No postmark," she muttered. Noting it was addressed only with a 'F' she deduced it must be for her and eagerly tore it open, a piece of paper falling out of the envelope and onto the bed. Her earlier hurt replaced by curiosity, she began to read, stumbling occasionally over the double meaning contained within.  
  
Dear Miss Faith,  
  
It has come to the attention of Wolfram & Hart, that in '00, you entered into an agreement with us to undertake a certain job for us. You then broke our contract, an action that caused our law firm considerable inconvenience and loss of face within the community.  
  
"Glad I could be of help," Faith muttered as she continued to read.  
  
For a considerable amount of time the subject you were contracted to deal with has remained a thorn in our side. However given your newfound status our firm has decided to give you another chance to fulfil the work you were paid to do and enter into new employment with us. A fresh start if you will, working as our top contractor.  
  
"You can fuck off," she growled. No way was she hurting Angel for anyone!  
  
This post will include considerable side-benefits including but not limited to a hefty financial package, a sports car of your choice, an executive apartment, a healthcare package that is out of this world, and private schooling for your children. All paid for by W&H.  
  
"What?" blood drained from Faith's face as the meaning of the words dawned on her. Her body trembling she continued to read.  
  
If on the other hand you refuse this generous offer that would secure both your and your children's future, Wolfram and Hart cannot be held responsible to what could happen to them. This is, as you are most painfully aware, a cruel world for two children without a proper parent's protection. It behoves you as their mother to protect them. Make the right decision, be in LA in 24 hours' time. Your children are missing you.  
  
Yours Sincerely  
  
Mr. Daniel Wolfe  
  
Faith's blood ran cold at the threat implicit in the letter's last paragraph. Her babies, the little twins who's ultra-sound she kept under the pillow of her prison bunk, kidnapped by Wolfram & Hart. It had to be a bluff. Except....  
  
She looked down to the bed and picked up the paper that had dropped out of the letter. Her heart caught as she realised it was the photograph of two three year olds.  
  
"Oh god," once again Faith felt tears burn her eyes. She thought she'd been scared before but now... She recognised the girl in the photograph. When she was three, before her mother's drinking had gotten real bad, they'd been out one day on a picnic and had a photograph taken of them together. She'd kept that photographs for years, until she'd met Jan her Watcher, to remind herself that her ma had once cared for her. And the baby girl in the photograph, her baby, god she looked so much like her at that age she had to be her daughter, she had to be. And the boy, Faith smiled tremulously, she recognised that goofy grin, could remember the days when the boy's father would direct it at her.  
  
Her smile withered as she realised what she had to do. "I'm sorry Angel." Grabbing her duffle bag, she shoved some clothes into the bad and hurried out. Given the choice between her hero and her babies there wasn't a choice at all. 


	4. 4

Actions & Consequences (4/?)  
  
To Faith's relief she didn't pass any of her companions on the way out, meaning she didn't have to think of an excuse for the duffle bag she was carrying over her shoulder or the glazed expression on her face. Her luck held when she reached the front of the hotel, Xander had disappeared somewhere, probably to cry on someone's shoulder about Anya. Anybody but her.  
  
Shoving aside her hurt and bitterness as unimportant now, Faith stalked forward, hurrying towards the car Woodie had hired so they could see some of the sights. She'd send him the deposit money and an explanation once she'd saved her babies. Thank god he'd left his keys on the bedside table. Her usually sure hand missed the car door lock three times before finally sliding the key in. "Where you going Faith?"  
  
* * *  
  
Xander's single eye narrowed as he noticed Faith arguing with Wood by the former principal's car. "Oedipus much?" his lip curled up in disdain. Not that he cared who Faith was fucking and he barely knew Wood, but he thought it was pretty sick for the new teacher to go after Faith as a mother figure. He knew what a great mom Faith wouldn't make. Not that Faith didn't have comforting attributes....  
  
He glanced down at his shopping, a six-pack of beer. After growing up with his drunken asshole of a father he swore he'd never drink, but now with the loss of his eye, his home, and most importantly, his Anya, he couldn't muster the effort to give a shit anymore. Deciding he didn't want to put up with anymore of the bitch's fake concern or the principal's condescension, he began to sneak around them, sticking to the shadows, only to stop when he heard the conversation. His face tightening with rage, he started towards the duo.  
  
* * *  
  
"Fuck," Faith muttered. "Busted." Forcing a smile, she turned to face her boyfriend, her mind racing. "Hi Woodie, I just figured I'd take a drive, blow some cobwebs away you know," she tried for a casual tone.  
  
"You haven't got a licence," Wood pointed out. "And what do you need the bag for?"  
  
Faith's eyes narrowed when her boyfriend pulled a silenced automatic out of his jacket and pointed at her. "Wood, what the fuck are you doing?"  
  
Her lover's face twisted into a sneer. "God, I've hated the last couple of weeks, having to sleep with a slut like you."  
  
Faith felt like she'd punched in the gut. "W...what?"  
  
"Thousands of years ago it was prophesised to the Order of Kali that one day, a Slayer would give birth to children, children that would be pivotal to the world's future. The Order of Kali placed me here to deliver those children to the Order." Wood smiled. "And the Order's waiting, ever since we worked out 'City Of Angels' didn't mean the Vatican or Mecca, we've been based in LA."  
  
Her kids were in a prophecy? "B..but your mom's a Slayer," Faith tried to get her legs to work, to charge her opponent but she seemed to be frozen in place. "I..it must be you."  
  
Wood shook his head. "No she wasn't," he corrected. "I was born 3rd Jan 1970, my Ma wasn't called until just after her 19th birthday in Jun 1974. So she was a potential when she had me. My mother's Watcher," a note of reverence entered the double agent's voice. "Is a double-agent for the Order watching the Slayer line for the children and after my mother's death raised me in the Order to prepare me for the time when I would be needed. My assignment was to get close to the Slayer, be there to grab the kids," the principal barked out a laugh. "God I wish they'd been Buffy's kids. I mean the nights were great," Faith winced at the disdain in the man's voice, the pain cutting deeper than any physical wound. She'd been falling for him, allowing her defences down. "But having to put up with you during the days." The principal shook his head. "And Harris? What were you thinking?"  
  
"I-I loved you," Faith forced back the tears. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.  
  
Wood's smirk widened. "More fool you," the tutor pointed towards the car. "Get in, the Order are going to help you get the kids back and then we're going to take them."  
  
Suddenly a cold, hard voice drifted out of the shadows. "You forgot about daddy dearest."  
  
* * *  
  
The fury that had been building in Xander since he'd stumbled onto the conversation exploded. Even as Wood began to turn towards him, Xander swung his arm and under-arm threw his six-pack of beer at the Kalian agent. Before the older man had time to react, the six-pack smashed into his face, exploding on impact, staggering the man.  
  
Seeing that the Slayer was too dazed to be of any help and that his opponent, although stunned, was still upright and dangerous, he lunged forward, one hand grabbing the wrist of his adversary's gun-arm, while driving a knee into the rocked man's groin. Instantly his rival's eyes glazed over in shock and his bloodied face greyed as he doubled up. Before the man had chance to straighten, Xander drove a downward chop into the back of his neck, hastening the man's downward descent. As soon as the man hit the ground, he leaned down, scooped up the gun, and turned to Faith, pointing the gun at the Slayer. "You want to tell me," he kicked the principal in the head, best to make sure his adversary wasn't getting up again. "What the hell is going on here?"  
  
* * *  
  
Faith stared in disbelief at Wood's crumpled body. "What the fuck?" she muttered. She figured maybe Gunn or Wes could beat her ex in a fight, but Xander? And with a six-pack of buds against a gun? Gathering her thoughts, she looked up. "Lover's tiff," she tried for a bluff. "The asshole's real possessive, I wanted to go clubbing, he told me no, pulled a -."  
  
"Bullshit," Xander said flatly. "I overheard the conversation, didn't make much sense mind, but enough to know that my kids are in trouble. Wanna explain?"  
  
Faith took a breath. She didn't think Xander would shoot her but after what she'd seen she couldn't be sure, and that left her with only two choices, take him down hard or risk confiding in him. And she didn't want to have to hurt him, it was bad enough she was going to have to kill Angel, hurting Xander too. "Five by five," she swallowed. "I got a letter from Wolfram & Hart, saying they've kidnapped our-," Faith's mouth dropped open as realisation hit. "Wait! How do you know?"  
  
Xander shook his head. "Uh, uh. You do the explaining."  
  
After a second she nodded reluctantly. "Five by five. I get this letter telling me they've kidnapped the kids and taken them to LA. If I sign a contract to work for them, I get our babies back unharmed. Otherwise...."  
  
"Right," Xander had paled. "How do you know it isn't a bluff?"  
  
"T..they sent me a photograph of the twins."  
  
Now Xman looked like she was carrying the Holy Grail. "You got the phot-," her companion shook his head. "Later, get in the car. We're leaving."  
  
"You're coming with me?"  
  
Xander stared her dead in the eye. "You think I'm going to let my babies be slaves of an evil corporation? Get in the car."  
  
Faith glanced down at the crumpled body between them. "What about Wood?"  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"Five by five," Faith shrugged. The bastard had been lying to her and threatened her kids.  
  
Faith turned towards the car. "No you don't," she turned back to the man. "First lose your weapons, I'm not risking getting stabbed."  
  
"Xman, I wouldn't hur-."  
  
"That's not how I remember it," Xander waved at her with the gun. "I'm tempted to shoot you now and deal with W&H myself except for the messy questions. Do it."  
  
"Five by five," she pulled her hunting knife out and dropped it on the road. "The rest of my weapons are in the bag."  
  
"Right," Xander nodded. "Throw it on the back seat," Xander nodded towards her before walking round the back of the car. "Get in."  
  
She obeyed. "Xman," her voice shook as she turned the car ignition on. "Please, you don't need the gun." She could take it off him if she had do, at this distance he wouldn't even see her coming, but she didn't want to hurt him. After a second the man nodded and put the gun into his jacket pocket. "Thanks," she nodded her appreciation. "How do you know about our babies?"  
  
Xander's eyes filled with bitterness. "How do I know?"  
  
* * *  
  
Sept '99, Sunnydale  
  
Xander strode down the hospital corridor, his heart thundering with a nervous mixture of anticipation, excitement, and fear. He'd been away for four months, working various jobs including a highly memorable, however much he tried to forget, night spent as a stripper. But now he was back in Sunnydale, and after catching up with the others last night he had one person left to see.  
  
Finally he reached the room. After taking a breath and uttering a silent prayer that she wasn't waiting behind the door to garrotte with a coat hanger or strangle him with an iv line he pushed the door open. "Hi Faith," he whispered, his heart breaking at how tiny and helpless she looked.  
  
The others, Will especially, would freak if they knew he was here, but it was the right thing to do. Faith had done plenty of wrong stuff, but if they were just expected to accept Angel back after what he'd done, they could give a second chance to a scared kid who'd been manipulated into doing most of what she'd done. No matter what, she deserved a second chance, and he'd stand by her. Even if it meant turning his back on Buffy and the others. "I'm sorry I haven't been to see you before but I've been away," he was about to say 'too scared', but changed it in case the doctors were right about a comatose patient being able to hear. "I brought some flowers," he looked around the room, his heart tightening with pain at what he saw.  
  
It was so bare, no get-well cards or flowers to brighten the room, or to say anyone cared about the room's patient. Right there and then he decided that no matter what else was going on in his life, he'd pop in every day to see her, she had to know that at least one person cared. After putting the flowers in the vase, he opened the get-well card he'd bought and put it beside the vase before smiling down at the girl. "There you go," he brushed a stray hair off the pale-faced beauty's face. "Looks a little better now, and," his smile widened. "I know what will make it even better." Turning he hurried out of the room.  
  
Twenty minutes later he returned carrying half a dozen helium balloons and the biggest cuddly toy they'd had in the gift shop, a black bear with a red ribbon tied around its neck. Moving over to the bed, he placed the cuddly toy on the bed, hooking Faith's arm around it. "There you go Faith, when you wake up, even if I'm not here you'll have a friend with you."  
  
* * *  
  
"Y..you bought the bear?" Faith stared at Xander's tight face. When she'd awoken, she'd found the bear in one of her lockers but had always thought it had been a present from the boss before he died. She remembered the tears that had welled up at it, proof that the boss had really cared, but now...  
  
Xander glared at her, there was none of the warmth in his remaining eye that she saw when he looked at Red, Pip, and the others. The only person she could ever remember him looking at like that was Fang. The look made her want to shrivel up and die. "You want to hear this?"  
  
"Yeah," Faith nodded, she didn't especially want to hear it but she needed to, to know how much she'd hurt him.  
  
* * *  
  
Sept '99, Sunnydale Hospital  
  
After ensuring the bear was secure, Xander turned his attention to the balloons and started tying them to the bottom of the bed. "'Course me coming here has an ulterior motive," he admitted cheerfully even as he tied a knot. "If I didn't come here and tell you about my road-trip I'd only bore the others stupid. You, you," Xander's voice trailed off. He was about to say 'don't have a choice'. "You need someone to hang with," he finished lamely before striding to the other side of the bed.  
  
As he did so, his knee caught on the clipboard hanging off the end of the bed, knocking it to the floor and scattering the notes contained on it. "Damn it!" he swore before kneeling and starting to pick up the papers. Suddenly his world turned on his axis as he idly read one of the sheets.  
  
"9/14/99 Babies delivered successfully," Xander looked up from the paper to the childlike figure lying on the bed. His shell-shocked mind fumbled through the maths to come to one undeniable conclusion. "You bitch," he grated. The papers dropped from his shaking hands as he stood and made his way over to the head of the bed. Grabbing a pillow, he positioned it over the helpless Slayer's face before shaking his head. "No, no. I'm not going to kill you," he muttered. "You know why? I don't want our kids to have two murderers for parents." He dropped the pillow on the floor as his eyes blurred with tears. "But, but you can go straight to hell."  
  
* * *  
  
Shocked, Faith risked a side-glance at Xander. Fuck, he'd nearly killed her? Not that she blamed him, after what she'd done... "X, I'm sorry."  
  
"I tried to track them down," it seemed that her companion hadn't heard her whispered apology. "But I didn't know where to start. Maybe Will could have helped but she already thought I was an idiot for wasting my time trying to help you. What would she think if she found I'd have been dumb enough to get you pregnant. Besides, I was living in the basement of my drunken parents' house, what sort of life could I have given them? But you took that choice away from me," Xander's eye burnt into her. "If you'd have come to me, I'd have stood by you, we could have managed. Why did you do it?"  
  
Faith let out a rattling gasp, she hated talking about this stuff but he deserved to know why. "When I was a kid, my ma ignored me, never gave a shit about me. No birthdays or Christmases for this girl, ma was always too busy with the booze, drugs, and johns to worry about her kid. When I got to thirteen I saw how some of her guys were starting to look at me, so I ran away," she shook her head, forcing the memories away. "My kids weren't going to have that. I figured I'd be like her, treat them like crap too. I know better now, I'm gonna get my babies back and be a great -."  
  
Xander snorted. "You, you think I'm going to let my kids be raised by you?"  
  
"I'm their fucking mother," Faith growled, some of her usual spirit returning. She'd lost her babies once before, no way was she going to let them be taken again.  
  
"What court would be dumb enough to give you custody?" Xander asked, his tone scathing. "Escaped murderess who's only character witness is a homicidal vampire vs. a man with a pile of money, a trade, no criminal record, and a ton of references. Even you can do that math."  
  
Faith felt the onset of panic. "Please X," she pleaded. "Don't take my babies away from me. You want custody? You got it," she bargained desperately. "I just gotta be part of their lives. I'll do anything you want, name your terms."  
  
Xander sighed wearily. "You got that photo?" She passed the photograph over, her hand shaking as she did so. Xander smiled, the smile she'd always secretly liked seeing on her first run through Sunnydale, before speaking. "She looks a lot like you, what did you call them?" "She's Hope," Faith hesitated. "He's Alexander."  
  
Xander looked up from the photograph. "You named him after me?"  
  
"You were a good guy, no-one I'd ever been with had ever been so respectful towards me, I wanted him to be good like his dad, have something that was part of you. I made it a condition of the adoption."  
  
The man's face softened. "Faith -," the male Scooby shook his head. "Let's just concentrate on kicking the shit out of W&H and getting the kids back. Then we'll work something out."  
  
Her heart filling with newborn hope, Faith nodded. "Five by five."  
  
* * *  
  
Kennedy hurried back towards the hotel, taking the occasional glance at her watch. "Damn it Willow's going to turn me into a frog, late again," she muttered. Suddenly she stopped as she noticed a crumpled body in the parking lot. Her eyes widened as she recognised the figure. "Wood?" 


	5. 5

Actions & Consequences (5/?)  
  
"I came out of the hotel to find," Wood winced as pain shot from his groin. When he got the slut's brats he was taking a weekend in the torture chamber with Harris as payment. "Faith and Xander arguing," he hid a smile at Buffy's angry expression, fooling her would be easy. "Faith was demanding that he forgive her, Xander was just trying to get away from her, but she wouldn't let him go. I tried to calm her down but she snapped," he shook his head. "I never thought she'd attack me."  
  
There was a stunned silence then Buffy stepped forward, her face pale but determined. "Will, do a locater spell," she instructed. "Girls, pack. As soon as Willow's got a result we're heading off."  
  
"Buffy," Wood grimaced at the troubled look on Dawn's face. He'd have to watch her; in many ways the younger Summers was the smartest of the lot. "Shouldn't we-."  
  
"No time Dawn," the older Slayer interrupted. "Xander's in trouble."  
  
Wood struggled to his feet. "I'll go pack."  
  
"Are you sure?" Giles asked. "If you're that injured..."  
  
"No," Wood winced as he shook his head. "I've got to be there, I failed Xander."  
  
"Utter nonsense," Giles took him by the elbow and led him out. "Any man would be helpless against a Slayer. But if you're sure..."  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
Kennedy pursed her lips together. This didn't smell right, she knew with her abilities if she'd beaten up Wood in a rage he wouldn't be standing, hell he'd probably be dead. And she'd spent a lot of time with Faith, her fellow brunette Slayer being nearest her own age of all the other Slayers, perhaps a little attracted to her and bound together by their mutual guilt at the pain they'd caused Xander. She sensed that Faith's attitude was mostly just that, attitude, that she wanted nothing more than to make a fresh start. But talking to Willow or Buffy about it wasn't going to work.  
  
She glanced across at a worried looking Dawn. Buffy's sister had doubts too. Coming to a decision she hurried across the hotel hallway and grabbed Dawn's elbow just as the younger teen headed towards her sister. "Wait Dawn," she said loudly. "Let me help you pack."  
  
"But-," the former Key's mouth clamped shut at her headshake. "Fine."  
  
Once they were in the corridor, Kennedy clamped a hand over the younger girl's protesting mouth and quickly forced the lock on a closet door, opened it, and pushed Dawn inside. "What are you doing?" the Key demanded. "I don't know what you're play-."  
  
"Shut up," she instructed quickly. "You think Wood is lying don't you?"  
  
The outrage left the younger Summers' face, her expression growing thoughtful. "Well not lying exactly, but his story doesn't make sense."  
  
Kennedy shook her head; she'd never been one for fudging. "He's lying," she declared flatly. "If Faith had gone psycho and attacked him, he'd be dead."  
  
"And," Dawn added slowly. "Why would Faith take Xander with her? It would make sense that she killed them both rather than kidnap Xander."  
  
"Well," Kennedy shrugged. "She could have a fascination about him; she's kinda obsessed about showing him how she's changed."  
  
Dawn looked surprised. "She is?"  
  
"She talks about him all the time."  
  
"Oh right," Dawn's brow furrowed. "In that case she could have taken him hostage to force him to admit in some warped way that she'd changed."  
  
"Do you believe that?"  
  
After a second Dawn shook her head. "No, in the old days the only person who was important to Faith was Faith, and maybe Buffy. In the past month we've spent a ton more time together than we did in six months, and she's more peaceful too. We have to tell Buffy."  
  
"No," Kennedy shook her head. "That's the last thing we can do. Your sister thinks she's doing the right thing, but you know how she never listens to anyone else. And when Buffy speaks," a note of bitterness entered her voice. "Willow follows. The only person who either will listen to is Xander."  
  
"And he's not here," Dawn winced. "So what do we do?"  
  
"I haven't worked that out," Kennedy admitted. "We've got to stick with the others because of Willow's spell, besides we need to keep an eye on Wood, and when we catch up we're going to have to try and keep Buffy and Willow under control."  
  
"Good luck with that."  
  
The younger woman turned to leave but Kennedy reached out and turned her round to face her. "Dawn, thanks for helping me with this."  
  
Dawn smiled grimly. "No way am I going to let anything happen to Xander or Faith." She nodded in agreement, she owed Xander for him losing his eye. Whatever Wood was playing at he'd pay. "I've just got one question?"  
  
"What's that Dawn?"  
  
"How do we get out of this closet without anyone seeing us and thinking we're having a passionate affair?"  
  
"Ah," Kennedy grimaced. "Good point."  
  
Lord Pain brought his bullwhip down hard across the back of his manacled slave, glorying in her tortured screams. He stepped back and admired the blood seeping down the blonde's back, luxuriating in the ravaged skin that just days had been flawlessly smooth. One of his minions had seen the blonde in a Scandinavian pop video, and knowing his love taking beautiful things and breaking them, had brought her to his attention.  
  
It had taken him several weeks to 'acquire' her by faking a car accident, but she was worth it. At first she'd blustered and threatened, but a few nights without food and water in a rat-infested cell had stopped that. Then she'd attempted to bargain, telling him of the millions her record company would pay for her unharmed return. Then after a weekend as the toy of his right-hand man she'd begged and pleaded for her release. But now, after a week of his personal attention, she was so broken that she couldn't even formulate sentences.  
  
Smiling proudly he moved to the front of his creation and lifted her limp head. His smile broadened as he inspected the blonde's face, she'd been awake when he'd burnt it off with a blowtorch, at the start anyway. Next time he'd take a male, a model or a bodybuilder perhaps.  
  
He heard the door of the cell open behind him and sensed the presence of his one of his oldest childes. "Yes Klaus?"  
  
"Sir, the Promised Two have been sighted!"  
  
Pain snapped around to face his right-hand man, excitement pulsing through his veins. The Promised Two, the fated children of the second Slayer. Ever since the Summers Slayer had died and a second Slayer called, the Blood Brotherhood had watched the Slayer line for a sign of the children that were fated to make his organisation the dominant demon group in the world. Somehow they'd missed the birth of the children, how his spies had paid for that mistake – crucified and doused in holy water, but now... "Where?" he demanded.  
  
"LA, shall I organise your jet?"  
  
"Yes." He nodded before turning back to his victim and running a long finger across her taut stomach. "My dear," he leaned in to where her right ear should have been. "It's been a pleasure," he muttered before plunging his fangs deep into her throat. Ah, the blood of a broken spirit, nothing tasted better.  
  
"Sir, we have a report in from America!"  
  
Lord Archibald Trent looked up at his lackey. "Yes, Ms. Stevens?" he smiled at his personal assistant and bodyguard, a tall, leanly-muscled beauty of African descent with a handful of black belts and a hard-earned reputation in countless martial arts tournaments. "And what might that news be?"  
  
"The Twins are in the hands of W&H."  
  
Lord Archibald Trent pursed his lips in thought. "Damn." Throughout England, he was known as a playboy lord of the realm, friend of pop stars and footballers, and lover of models and actresses, the heir to a three hundred million dollar fortune. Much less well known was his past as a former Watcher thrown out of the organisation for dabbling black magics.  
  
When he'd been expelled he'd stolen a number of black arts texts, including several books of prophecies, one of which included the Kalian prophecy detailing the twins of a Slayer whose power could influence the entire world. Such power needed to be controlled by the right hands, his hands. After a second he nodded, he needed to call in the members of the occult organisation he had founded, The Apocalypse Foundation. With the fall of the Watchers' Council there was a power vacuum and if he had hold of the children, he could move into the hole. He smiled slightly. "Get the executives on the blower luv, set up on the video conferencing."  
  
"Certainly sir," Stevens turned away from him and then turned back. "And the jet?"  
  
"Have it readied," he paused in thought for a second. "Organise our special ops team, I want those children, their mother too if possible. But the children are our priority."  
  
"We're here," Faith let out a weary sigh. Nothing had taken as much out of her as the several hour drive to Los Angeles, her mind filled with worried thoughts of her babies, her heart breaking repeatedly at the memory of Wood's betrayal, and the car filled with tension.  
  
Xander's brow furrowed in confusion as he stared at the building she'd parked outside of. "The evil law firm's base is a run-down hotel?"  
  
"Oh no," Faith swallowed. This was going to be fun. "This is Angel's den."  
  
The expected explosion wasn't long in coming. "WHAT! Did you bang your head on the way here? Kill your one functioning brain cell? Are you fucking craz-."  
  
"X," she interrupted softly. One of them had to remain the calm one, obviously she was nominated, boy were her kids screwed. "We weren't thinking straight when we left San Diego, we can't take Wolfram & Hart on our own, we should have asked B and the others for help. But Fang, he's been going toe to toe with W&H for years, and he's ahead on points."  
  
Xander glared at her for a long second, his single eye bringing with it all the ferocity of a laser, before finally nodding, a look of grudging acceptance on his face. "Fine," he growled. "Asking DB for help, just wonderful."  
  
Daniel Wolfe looked up as his office door crashed open.. "Mr Wolfe, our mages indicate the Slayer has arrived."  
  
"Excellent," Daniel beamed. "Now all we have do to is wait for her to contact us."  
  
"Uh," the flunky looked nervous. "It appears she's contacted Angelus."  
  
His smile broadened. "Better and better. I shall await her phone call with interest."  
  
Angel looked up from fixing the reception area, maybe he should have taken W&H's offer then at least he wouldn't be doing house-cleaning, with a smile, a familiar scent in his nostrils. They'd won. His smile died when he considered why she must be here. Faith had changed, she didn't deserve to spend the next two decades in prison, it wasn't like her mother had ever been punished for the abuse that had made the way she was. The foyer door swung open. "Fait-," his greeting died when he spied the young man following behind his protégée. "Harris," he hoped his tone adequately conveyed his complete lack of welcome. "And what are you doing here?" His mouth dropped open as he noticed something. "What happened to your eye?"  
  
He heard the door to the inner office behind him open and smelt Wesley's scent. "Angel," the former Watcher's voice grew delighted. "Oh Faith, it's good to see you again."  
  
"Wes," Faith nodded towards the Watcher. Angel growled as he noticed the redness of the curvy brunette's eyes and the puffiness of her cheeks. His eyes narrowed as he turned towards a scowling Xander, if that horse's ass had hurt her... "My babies have been kidnapped by Wolfram & Hart."  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
The roar came from three mouths, his, a shocked-sounding Wes, and highly pissed-off looking Xander who grabbed the Slayer by the crook of her arm and spun her round to face him. "You're telling me?" the youth said each word slowly, as if struggling to contain his temper. "That you told that bastard about my kids but me, nothing?" the man laughed, it was a harsh, bitter sound, with nothing Xanderlike in it. "'Course you murderers have to have something to bond over. Why not send him them as mini-meals?"  
  
"Xander," Faith's voice was soft, pleading. "Please, let go you're hurting me."  
  
Angel wasn't at all sure his friend was talking about the vice-like grip on her arm. Stepping forward, he pulled Xander away from the Slayer. "Calm down Xander," he kept his own voice calm, letting none of his anger at the man's rough treatment of his friend spill over into his tone. "We all know that Faith was in a bad place back then-."  
  
"A bad place?" Xander broke in with a sharp laugh and a contemptuous shake of the head. "Try every bad place between Boston and Sunnydale, every back alley, fleapit motel, biker's bar, and lowlife titty bar. I don't know why I'm here, they're probably Rosco the biker's kids, not mine."  
  
"You've seen the photo," Faith's pain-filled voice trembled. "Y..you know they're yours Xander."  
  
Hearing the hurt in Faith's voice, Angel was about three seconds from introducing Xander's face to the wall. Forcing his demon under control, he continued to speak as if Xander hadn't interrupted him. "What we need is cool heads. We need to sit down."  
  
He saw Xander's fist coming towards his head but didn't bother to block it, figuring it was better the young man took his frustrations out on him rather than hurl abuse at Faith. The punch crashed against his jaw, staggering him with its impact, he didn't think a mortal had ever hit him that hard, there was a lot of emotion in the blow. "You don't order me about, vampire!" Xander got in his face. "We're not in Sunnydale anymore, I don't have to put up with your bullshit!" Spinning around the young man stormed off, a single glare from him stopping Faith in her tracks.  
  
"Gunn," Angel turned to his open-mouthed comrade in arms hurrying down the steps. "Follow him, but don't get in his way unless he needs you."  
  
"On it."  
  
"Willow, what's taking so long?" Buffy continued to pace the floor.  
  
"I don't know," the red-headed Wicca replied, her lips pursed. "I can't get a lock, it's almost as if something's blocking me."  
  
Something probably was, Wood realised as he watched their two leaders. He read Faith's letter, and re-sealed it before she came in. He guessed the demonic law firm had placed some sort of spell on it making magical tracking difficult. He bit down on his bottom lip in frustration. He knew where they were going but he couldn't just say, if he did, he glanced up at their blonde leader, even she'd work out that something was up. He'd have to wait for the chance to slip away.  
  
"Got it!" his head snapped towards an excited-looking Willow. "She's in LA."  
  
"LA?" Buffy's eyes hardened. "That bitch! She's going after Angel! Troops load up!"  
  
Kennedy nodded towards Dawn. The younger Summers nodded before hurrying up to the Watcher. With her Slayer hearing, Kennedy heard the conversation. "Giles," Dawn exclaimed. "Let me help you down with your bags."  
  
"Dawn," the de facto Council head's tone was affronted. "I'm more than capable of carrying a few bags; I'm not quite in my dotage!"  
  
"Only just not though," Kennedy smirked at the look on the Englishman's face at Dawn's reply. "Come on Giles, the sooner we get on the road, the sooner we catch up with Xander."  
  
The Englishman nodded. "Very well."  
  
Satisfied that part one of their plan was working well, Kennedy turned to Willow. "Will, I've got to get something from my room, my lucky axe."  
  
Her girlfriend looked up from collecting up her spell components. "You've got a lucky axe?"  
  
Kennedy forced a grin. "It's lucky for me; I haven't lost my gorgeous head while using it."  
  
"Okay," Willow nodded. "But hurry."  
  
"Will do." Once outside of the conference room, she hurried into Giles' room without knocking.  
  
"Kennedy!" the Englishman looked out-raged. "Don't you bloody yanks know how to lock? I could have been naked!"  
  
"With Dawn in the room?" she raised an eyebrow. "Does Buffy know?"  
  
Dawn fought back giggles while the former librarian reddened. Anxious to stave off a possible heart attack or verbal explosion, Kennedy quickly put things back on track. "We think Wood's lying."  
  
"Or really?" Instantly the Englishman's face took on a look of intense concentration. "About what and why?" After a quick glance at Dawn, she outlined her reasons. The Watcher nodded thoughtfully. "You might have a point; we'll have to alert Buff-."  
  
"No!" Dawn let out a panicked cry. "You can't do that Giles. You know what she gets like when she gets an idea, she'll only go straight to Wood and demand the truth!"  
  
"If she even listens," Kennedy added.  
  
"Very well," the Englishman didn't look happy. "What do you suggest?" Kennedy babbled out her plan. The middle-aged man looked less than impressed. "It's hardly up there with the Normandy landings, but it'll do. I'll stick to Wood like glue; you two have your posts. And Kennedy?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"See if you can think of any other Slayers who'd listen to us. Just in case."  
  
"Giles-."  
  
"Dawn," the Englishman's tone was unyielding, giving a hint to the true man concealed beneath his proper exterior. "The Watchers' Council has failed Faith once before. If you are correct and she is innocent of any wrong- doing, we won't fail her again."  
  
Faith stared at the door Xander had left through. After she'd told him about the names of the kids, he'd relaxed a little, not exactly Xander but not as edgy anymore. But when he'd found out she'd told Fang but not him, he'd gone super-nova. Damn, he had no idea the number of times she'd started a letter to tell him about the kids, but what could she say? 'Sorry for trying to kill ya, Xand. Nice roll in the hay. BTW, we have two kids that I had adopted. Have a nice life.' Suddenly she started to shake, fuck the damage she done. Suddenly she felt Angel's arms around her, comforting her. "It'll be alright Faith," Angel consoled her. "Just give Xander time to calm down."  
  
"Angel."  
  
"Not now Wes!" a hard note entered the Master Vampire's voice.  
  
"Yes now!" the Watcher snapped back, damn Wes had grown a set since back in the day. "Lorne and Fred can look after Faith."  
  
"I'm five by five Fang," she muttered, besides it wasn't Angel she wanted not really. It was her babies, her babies, and Xander, Xander telling her that he forgave her, that they could be buds.  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Angel glared at the Watcher stood before him in the inner office. It was largely because of Wesley he hadn't given into the temptation to rip Xander in half. After all, without Wesley he wouldn't know the pain of losing his children, having them forced from you. "Well?"  
  
To his credit the Watcher didn't blink at his anger. "I do wish you'd told me about Faith's children."  
  
"As I recall," he arched an eyebrow. "You weren't exactly interested in Faith's welfare."  
  
After a second the Englishman nodded. "True enough. However," he swallowed. "Those children, the first ever to be born to a Slayer are the subject or a very important prophecy."  
  
Angel groaned. "Why can't anything be simple?"  
  
"You call rescuing two three year olds from a demonic law firm simple? My, why do have an ego don't we?"  
  
He decided to ignore Wesley's sarcastic mutterings. "What's the prophecy?"  
  
"I'll have to search it out."  
  
"Get right it on it," Angel nodded, looking through the glass to the nervously pacing Slayer. "I'll concentrate on getting the kids back. And Wesley," he hesitated. "If Faith mentions this prophecy.."  
  
"Deny all knowledge?"  
  
He nodded. "For the moment."  
  
Gunn tailed the man who'd turned up with the Slayer and punched out his boss. "I do meet interesting characters, don't I?" His eyes widened when the one-eyed man was attacked. "I suppose I better rescue him." His eyes widened further. "If he needs it."  
  
Xander was shaking with anger, his demeanour and the fury in his solitary eye more than enough to deter any of the local lowlife from approaching him. "Fucking bitch," he muttered. She hated him, thought he was worthless, he got that, but to hide the fact she'd had his babies but tell a master vampire with a fetish for killing children. "If it's not Buffy screwing me over for a vamp, the psycho is! How much does my life suck?" he stopped as he thought of something, he hadn't seen his ex back at the motel, where was Cordy? He growled, if Deadboy had let something happen to her, he was going after Angel, and Buffy, Faith, and the Powers That Be had better not get in his way.  
  
Suddenly he tensed as four robe-wearing vampires with gold pentagram medallions stepped out from the shadows of the alleyway he was in. "Not today boys," he grunted. "I'm having a real bad day, do us all a favour and find somebody else to annoy."  
  
"You're the sire," proclaimed one of the vampires, a short, fat woman with the sort of face a horse would have been proud of. The vampire who'd turned her needed to take more blood with his drink. He'd heard of beer goggles but this was ridiculous.  
  
Xander's eyes narrowed. "Sorry, no body's sire," he bluffed. "Living breathing human, bad blood though. Anaemia."  
  
"You're the brats' sire," the woman interrupted.  
  
"Excuse me?" his hand slid into his pocket and pulled out his stake. Four to one, not good odds. On the plus side, he had a lot of frustration to work off. And that remark, somebody was going to pay for that.  
  
Suddenly the vampires surged forward. "Don't kill him, Lord Pain will want him alive!"  
  
Lord Pain, not a social worker then, but if he wanted him alive, that gave him an advantage, Xander realised as he ducked under a left hook, replying with a right elbow to the jaw that staggered its recipient. He had no such qualms about Slaying vampires. Hell, it was practically all had left.  
  
The female leapt at him, attempting a wrestling takedown that he sidestepped, leaving his stake for the vampire to land on. Even as the vampire exploded into dust, another leapt at him with a clothesline that he ducked under. "Shit the WWE's in town!" he cracked before straightening into a forearm to the forehead.  
  
The force of the blow lifted him off his feet and sent him to the ground, the stuffed garbage bags there fortunately cushioning the landing. His assailant charged up to him but he took its legs out with a kick to the knees, knocking it to the ground, its companions tripping up over its body.  
  
Taking advantage of the respite offered, Xander rolled his feet just as one of the vampires bounded upright and charged him. Grabbing hold of the vampire's outstretched hands at the wrists, he dropped onto his back, bringing his feet up into the vampire's stomach, sending him catapulting into the air. Leaping to his feet, he found the two remaining vampires, brothers from the similarity, advancing on him from opposite sides.  
  
Thinking quickly, he dropped into a forward roll, coming to his feet behind his two would-be attackers. Spinning round, he slammed his stake into the left vampire's back. Even as it exploded, its partner caught him with a punch that drove the air from his lungs, Winded, he stumbled away, ducking left and right to avoid the vampire's wild punches, blocking those he couldn't avoid on his soon aching arms and shoulders. Finally, he saw an opening and plunged his stake home.  
  
His entire body a giant bruise, he straightened painfully, his head throbbing. "Well that was easy," he blustered, suddenly he heard a footfall behind him. "Shi-." His world exploded. 


	6. 6

**Actions & Consequences (6/?)**

****

Gunn cursed as he saw the younger man across the street crumple, kid had some moves but no mortal was going to take down four vampires on his own. Drawing his pistol crossbow, he sighted and fired in one smooth motion. The bolt flew true, slamming into the vampire's back with thudding impact, the demon bursting into dust. "He shoots he scores," Gunn crowed before hurrying across the street to where the crumpled youth lay. "Lose your eye, punch the boss, and get beaten up by four vampires," he muttered as he examined the youth's battered body. "Your luck's not the best is it?" Still he had got to make time with Faith at some time in the past, so it wasn't all bad.

His eyes narrowed as he noticed a circular golden medallion with a pair of curved fangs carved onto its surface lying on the ground. Grabbing the medallion he shoved it in his pocket, Wes would just love researching it. Next he crouched by the unconscious man and lifted him on his shoulder, grunting in surprise at the weight before starting off back to the hotel. "Cut down on the Big Macs man," he muttered. "Otherwise next time, I'm bringing your ass back in a wheelbarrow."

* * *

"Xander!"

Faith hurried towards the sweating African-American and took his load off him prompting him to mutter. "Thanks for making me feel all manly girl."

"What happened?" Faith demanded. She glared at the shaven headed man making him take a back-step. "Did you-?"

"Calm down," Gunn pulled a medallion out of his pocket. "I found your boy-."

"He's not my boy," she interrupted fiercely. "I just owe him that's all!"

"My mistake. Going all Street Fighter on four vamps," Gunn continued, his eyes nervous. "He killed three, but the fourth got him and was about to feed when I came onto the scene and staked him. They left this behind." The demon-hunter indicated the glittering medallion.

"Good lord!" Faith glanced behind her to see a shocked looking Wesley staring at the medallion with bulging eyes. "It can't be. The Blood Brotherhood!"

"What?" demanded Angel.

"Fang," she glanced down at the battered body in her arms. He looked so helpless, well nobody was ever going to hurt the father of her babies again. "Priorities, X is bleeding like a stuck pig."

"Good point," Angel turned to a pale looking Fred and Lorne. "Take Faith and Xander up to a spare room."

"Is it he alright?" Angel asked a returning Faith.

"Fred says his wounds aren't serious," the sultry Bostonian replied, her voice shaky. 

Angel's brow furrowed at the Slayer's grey face. He couldn't help but wonder if the brunette felt more than guilt for Xander. Shoving aside that troubling thought, he turned towards Wesley. "What is this Blood Brotherhood?"

The former Watcher looked up from the book he'd been reading "The Blood Brotherhood are a Council myth, I'm rather surprised you haven't heard of yourself," the Englishman replied.

"Cut to the chase Wes."

Wesley blinked at the tightness in the Slayer's voice. "Quite. The Blood Brotherhood were formed in the 15th Century by Dominus Itis." The Watcher threw him a significant look.

Angel felt his legs go weak. "Oh crap."

Faith looked from him to Wesley. "Domminus Itis? Somebody wanna give me a hand here? I barely speak English, much let this ancient crap?"

Finally he found his tongue. "Domminus Itis, is Latin for Lord Pain. Pain was an Italian nobleman who even before he was turned was know for his sadistic debauchery. One night in 1140s' Florence he picked up a whore," Angel hid a grimace, he knew how well that ended. "Probably intending to torture and kill her. Instead she turned him. For almost three hundred years he dominated Italy as its king, killing a Slayer-."

"Two," Wesley corrected.

"In the process. Then in the 1480s he disappeared. He was assumed dead, but apparently the Council knew better."

"We knew no such thing," Wesley corrected. "The Blood Brotherhood were only ever a rumour, a whispered muttering that once spoken would result in the informant's prompt and painful death."

"So, fun guys," Faith's teeth were tightly gritted. "BUT WHO THE FUCK ARE THEY!"

* * *

"Aw."

"He's awake!"

"Please," Xander blinked up blurrily at the pretty brunette and, he edged backwards, the green demon sat on his bed, his eyes wary. "My head's killing me. Don't shout. Who's he? Actually, who are you?"

"I'm Fred-."

"Don't look like a Fred," Xander commented. God, he felt like he'd been worked over with a baseball bat. "Only Fred I knew was a three hundred pound construction worker with beer-breath and three days' stubble."

The girl giggled. "Winifred Burkle, this is Lorne. You're Xander, you came in with Faith. You knew Faith before she went to prison right? What was she like before she was evil? What was she like when she was evil?" Xander stared in bemusement at the closest thing he'd ever heard to Willow-babble. "I bet she was real scary bad, she was real scary when she was in town a few weeks ago and she was good then. Is she diff-."

"Now pipe down Fred," Lorne said softly. "Sweetcheeks looks like he needs his rest," Xander coloured. He was sweetcheeks? He thought he had problems with Andrew. "Sweetcheeks, do you need anything?"

"An ice-pack for my ribs and some pain-killers would be good," he replied dazedly.

Lorne nodded. "You get the supplies Freddie, I'll go and tell Faith you're awake. She was awful worried you know."

"Um, uh," Xander nodded. Somehow he doubted it. The only person Faith worried about was herself. The moment the door closed behind the duo, he pushed himself to his feet, ignoring his body's protests. He knew if he stayed around here he'd be ignored, he was the one without powers, the one who'd been sidelined for the past four years. "Let the grown-ups deal with it," he muttered bitterly. Well he'd be damned if he was going to be sidelined when his children were at risk. His breath caught at the thought of his children being scared alone, their adoptive parents probably dead. Forcing away his terror he opened the window and climbed gingerly onto the fire escape, he was staying involved no matter what.

* * *

"This is it?" Buffy asked, Willow nodded. Buffy took a breath, not only was she terrified of what she might find inside the hotel, she was also more than a little uneasy at potentially meeting Angel again, so soon after losing Spike. Schooling her face to show none of her worry she turned to the other Slayers. "Keep calm," she instructed sternly. "The last thing we need is somebody going off half-cocked."

"Says her," muttered Rona.

Buffy decided to ignore Rona's comment. She had bigger fish to fry than an ego-ridden, power-crazed Slayer, Giles had been lucky to have a Slayer as balanced as her. "Giles, you keep Dawn out here, things could get hairy." Her eyes narrowed as her sister's mouth opened in protest only to shut at a look from Kennedy. What influence did Willow's girl-friend have over Dawn?

Pushing away the concern as rather less immediate than others, she turned to the forbidding hotel's front. "Let's head in."

* * *

Kennedy slipped a hastily scribbled note telling Dawn to watch Wood as she followed the others into the hotel. It would be up to her to be voice of reason. God, she hoped she was up to it.

* * *

Lord Trent hurried from the plane, his personal assistant, bodyguard, and occasional bed partner by his side. He stopped by the black van with tinted windows and nodded his approval. The ten men surrounding it were the scum of the earth, men taken from the world's special forces, soldiers thrown out of their respective elite units for various crimes. Men who were utterly ruthless and talented in the arts of death. "Have you read the briefing?"

The group's leader, a thickly muscled former Mossad agent, nodded. "We have sir."

"Good, remember the children's mother would be a bonus," a tamed Slayer would be a tremendous asset both professionally and personally. "But the children are the priority."

* * *

The instant she'd shouted, Faith felt her heart drop at Wes' involuntary flinch. He was still fucking terrified of her, after all these years. Not that she blamed him, sometimes when she doubted if she'd done the right thing giving up her babies she'd remind herself of what she'd done to Wes and know she'd done the right thing – they deserved better. "Sorry Wes," she apologised in a whisper. "I..I'm just wicked scared."

"Quite," after a second the Watcher had regained his composure. "The Blood Brotherhood were based on a single edict, any vampire that joined its order had to be invited and could only turn humans that had a talent to offer – fighting ability, wealth, psychic or magical ability and the like. If a vampire created a minion without permission, then both the sire and the childe were killed to keep the group elite."

"Uh, uh," Faith nodded. She got the principle, in prison she'd developed a yen for knowledge finding to her surprise she wasn't stupid just ill-educated. "Something like a Special Forces unit or some Aryan brotherhood shit?"

She hid a smirk at Wes' surprised look, he obviously hadn't expected her to get it.   
"Exactly."

Faith pursed her full lips together in thought. The Blood Brotherhood would be wicked dangerous mother-fuckers, not like most the average vampire called purely on their attractiveness or a closeness to their sire. "What does this Lord Pain want with my babies?" Wesley and Fang exchanged a look, her hackles rose, she knew that look, she'd seen it on enough guys who were hiding something unpleasant from her in the past. "Stop holding out on me boys," she warned.

"Faith-."

"There is a prophecy relating to your children, they are of destiny." Angel glared at the Watcher who stared back, Faith's eyes widened. Fuck, Wes might still be scared of her, but Angel didn't intimidate him one little bit. "She deserves to know."

"Hi guys," Faith turned to see Lorne stepping out of the elevator. "Sorry to interrupt the heavy pow-wow but Xander is awake."

Faith felt her spirits rise. "Wicked! Thanks Greenie.," she turned back to Wes. "Go on."

"Um," the Englishman lifted a hefty tome and opened it. "You mentioned your boyfriend said he was a Kalian agent?" Faith hid a wince at the mention of Wood before nodding. "The Kalians are an order who believe in a prophecy by Belar in 1700BC Mesopotamia," the Watcher looked up at her. "Mesopotamia was-."

"Was the cradle of the Babylonian, Sumerian, and Assyrian civilisations," she nodded impatiently only to glare at Angel and Wes' shocked stares. "I've been in prison for three fucking years, it was either get some bitches, work out, or read. I ain't into carpet munching and it wasn't like I could go all-out in the gym so I read. Now get on with it, you'll catch flies with that, "she grinned suddenly as she remembered a term her old Watcher had used with her when she was yapping. "Gob."

"Bloody marvellous now she insults me working-class English as well as gutter yank, my cup runneth over." The Watcher shook his head before continuing. "From a Slayer's womb will come two of child. One meek yet strong, one happy yet wild." Faith felt her eyes begin to burn, that was her babies he was talking about, they couldn't be in a prophecy, she wanted them to be normal with a mummy and daddy who loved them, gave them toys and shit. Why couldn't she at least give them that?

"Faith!" Suddenly she was falling, her legs buckling beneath her only for Angel to catch her inches from the ground. "That's enough for now Wes," her mentor instructed.

"Of course," she saw her former Watcher begin to stand, a look of concern on his face. "Fai-."

"Angel!" it was that Fred chick. "Xander's disappeared!"

Suddenly the front foyer door's crashed open. "Faith! Where's Xander!"

Faith hear Angel's groan. "Of course things could always get worse."

* * *

Dawn glanced at the note and nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wood slip away from the group and into the night. She nudged Giles. "Let's go," she muttered.

The two of them followed Wood for about twenty minutes until they came to a seemingly deserted office block. Deserted except for the light that could be seen through the second-floor blinds. "We need to get closer," she whispered to her companion. "Find out what's being said."

"Oh no," Giles shook his head. "We've uncovered where Wood's compatriots are based. I think it's best we return to the hotel before we're spotted."

Dawn opened her mouth to protest only to be interrupted by an upper-class English voice behind them. "I'm afraid it's rather too late for that." 


	7. 7

A/N: Anyone recognise the wrestling quote within.  
  
Actions & Consequences (7/?)  
  
Xander strode into the drab building, noting the shoddy construction work with the eye of a professional. As he made his way through the passages one look was enough to send the small-timers scurrying back into the corridor's shadows, but then it wasn't the small-timers he wanted. Hearing the heavy sound of bass coming out of the cracked door at the end of the passageway, he smiled and pulled out the .38 he'd stolen off a drug-dealer two blocks away. Taking a step back, he charged the door, hitting it shoulder-on.  
  
The door splintered under his charge. Hitting the floor on his shoulder he rolled up and fired at the first of the three men, taking his head off. The second began to raise his Uzi but his head followed the first in splattering against the wall. Instantly Xander turned to the third. "Don't," he warned the heavily tattooed African-American reaching for his gun on his table. "The life you save may be your own."  
  
The thickly-muscled dude looked up at him, his eyes burning angrily. "You know who I fucking am you honky mother-fucker?"  
  
Xander's hand flashed out, the butt of his gun smashing into the man's head, knocking him to the ground. In an instant the muzzle of the gun was back pointing at the crumpled bodybuilder. "I know who you are, Johnny 'The Bull' Banks. You're the biggest arms dealer in this part of town according to my informant, a real bad man." He crouched over the body. "Guess what? I could give a shit, I need arms fast and I don't have any cash. So I figured, a nice society-minded guy like you wouldn't mind contributing. Hell, I'll even name my next kid after you. Now, what have you got?" He barely gave the two dead bodies a glance, low-life scum like that were unimportant. What he cared about was his children, Wolfram & Hart were going to rue the day they kidnapped his kids.

* * *

"Oh shit," Angel's brain was on overload right now. Faith's tough girl facade had cracked revealing the frightened kid beneath, Xander had disappeared, and Buffy was here, with a distinctly murderous look on her face. It was days like this that made him think that perhaps hell was the easy option.  
  
To his surprise, Wesley stepped between Faith and the newcomers, who had to be the new Slayers. "Ms. Summers, the situation is far from as it appears. Faith did not kidnap or hurt Xander, nor did she go rogue," the Englishman paused. "Faith, if I may?"  
  
The brunette in his arms looked surprised, hesitated, then nodded. "They need to know Wes."  
  
"Very well." The Watcher nodded. "You are of-course aware that when Faith was first in Sunnydale she slept with Xander. Well, this liaison," Angel raised an eyebrow, nice phrasing, still he was glad that Wes was doing this explaining rather than him. "Resulted in two children."  
  
"WHAT!!!"  
  
The Watcher continued as if the twin bellow from Buffy and Willow hadn't happened. Angel's lips tugged up in a slight smile, nothing much phased the Englishman these days. "Who were taken from a comatose Faith and given," the Watcher's voice trailed off as a suddenly crying Buffy stumbled out through the hotel doors.  
  
"Damn," Angel cast Faith a concerned look. "Are you okay if I-."  
  
"I'm five by five big guy."  
  
Angel nodded gratefully. "Wes, can you continue the explanation?" The Watcher nodded. Swallowing slightly, he walked through the massed ranks of Slayers, ignoring his demon's whimperings at being surrounded by so many supernatural warriors for good. Thanks to what Buffy and Willow had achieved in Sunnydale, he suspected the world would be forever changed. Although for good or bad he really couldn't tell.

* * *

Outside he found a sobbing Buffy slumped against the wall. His unbeating heart tore at the look of anguished guilt on his former love's face, the tears pouring down her face. In an instance he was by her side, about to put his arms around her, but she pushed him away and shook her head, her golden blond hair swinging in the air. "N...no," she sobbed through gasping breaths. "I don't deserve comfort. I stuck a knife in Faith and nearly killed two babies," her eyes widened in shock. "Xander's babies." She broke down into a fresh, even more frenzied bout of sobbing.  
  
This time, the shaking Slayer didn't resist when he grabbed her by the shoulders. "Listen to me Buffy," he ordered firmly. "Nearly isn't the same as did and I should know. And you didn't know about the children when you fought Faith. And you told me it was you or her. What's important is getting these children back safe and well."  
  
Suddenly Buffy's head shot back up, her eyes puffy but suddenly determined. "Who's got Xander's babies?" she grated. His blood chilling at the look in the Slayer's eyes, he told her. If anything Buffy's eyes grew harder. "Wolfram & Hart? And you've been battling them for four years? What the hell have you been doing, playing charades?" he swallowed, suddenly too nervous to speak. "In that case we better get my nephew and niece back. And then we're taking Wolfram & Hart to pieces, brick by brick."  
  
"Guys," the hotel door flew open and Willow hurried out, her face excited. "We've got a problem."

* * *

Giles glanced from side to side, seeing that he was out-numbered four to one but with no apparent weapons on show he did the only thing he could. "Dawn run!" At the same time he roared his order, he stepped back, his left elbow snapping backwards into the nearest man's mouth, knocking him back a step. Spinning round, he caught a karate chop from the other man flanking him aimed at his neck on the shoulder. Grunting slightly at the impact, he blocked a right cross on his forearm before crashing his forehead into the bridge of his opponent's nose, shattering bone, even as he slammed a fist into his rival's gut.  
  
Grinning evilly at the man's anguished cries he drove his knee upwards into the man's groin. Instantly the thug doubled up and crumpled to the ground. Turning to face the first hoodlum, he was met with a punch to the mouth that sent blood splattering. Ignoring the pain, he slid beneath a follow- up only to catch a left hook to the forehead even as he thudded a right body shot into his adversary's stomach. Suddenly something crashed into the head from behind, sending his world crashing into darkness.

* * *

The instant Giles bellowed, Dawn moved. She hated leaving Giles but if she could escape, she could warn Buffy where Wood was hiding Giles and then maybe they could rescue him, if she stayed, nobody would have a clue where they were. She squealed in protest as a pair of strong arms grabbed her waist from behind before driving her heel back onto the man's instep, just the way Buffy had taught her.  
  
Her captor swore and loosened his grip. Seizing the advantage, Dawn slammed her head backwards into the man's chest, grunting slightly at the jarring pain. The man swore again and this time completely released his grip. Dawn started forward only for the fourth man to step forward and send a right crashing into her jaw.

* * *

Andrew Lexington crouched down over the two bodies. When his surrogate son had arrived he'd warned them he'd been followed, that the Summers brat and Rupert Giles had tailed him. Lexington pursed his lips together as he examined his unconscious country-man, a man maybe fifteen years his junior. He'd never met his fellow Watcher before but had heard stories, stories that apparently had more than a grain of truth in them judging from what he'd just witnessed. Savage, absolutely savage.  
  
"Bastard!" Joe Dawson, blood leaking from his nose and his face grey with pain, drove a boot into Giles' stomach. "I'll fucking-."  
  
"You'll do nothing," Lexington interrupted softly. "Mr. Giles and Ms. Summers are our guests and will be treated with the requisite-."  
  
"That ponce broke my bloody nose."  
  
Lexington rose and stared at his subordinate who instantly dropped his gaze. "Had I finished speaking?" the former British marine shook his head. "Then do me the courtesy as your superior officer of keeping your bloody trap shut!" he growled. "Your nose was broken because of his own poor reactions. Mr. Giles is a man in his late forties, you both are twenty years your junior. Yet, if I hadn't stepped in with my truncheon, he would have beaten you both. Completely and utterly pathetic. Now bring him inside."  
  
He smiled to himself, now they had leverage. With Ms. Summers' sister and her surrogate father under their control, she wouldn't dare make a move.

* * *

Buffy kept her eyes fixed on Kennedy as the brunette Slayer explained sending Giles and Dawn after Wood who was apparently a double-agent. "And you've tried their mobile?" she couldn't look at Faith, oh god what had she done? Willow nodded. "What about a locating spell?"  
  
"We're being blocked."  
  
"And I'm afraid there's a larger issue too."  
  
She turned to Wes. "What's that?"  
  
"Faith's children," the Watcher glanced towards her sister Slayer. She didn't. "Are the subject of prophecy."  
  
Buffy groaned, of course they were. "It never rains it pours. Let's hear it."  
  
"To cut a long and convoluted story short, it was predicted 3,700 years that one day, two children would be born to a Slayer and that they would be either a great force for evil or good, on which the world could hang -."  
  
"Oh fuck."  
  
Buffy's ears picked up Faith's shocked whisper. This was obviously news to her counterpart too. "Most interesting because they came from the womb," Buffy bit back a half-chuckle at the crimson flush that entered the Watcher's cheeks at his utterance of the word 'womb'. Maybe Wesley hadn't changed that much. "Of an active Slayer they too will become active Slayers at the same age of their mother."  
  
"WHAT?" every set of eyes except hers turned towards Faith. "They can't, Alex is a boy."  
  
Buffy winced, oh god she'd named her son after Xander. "Nevertheless," Wes continued with firm softness. "The prophecy says they will become the Slayers at the same age you did, which was?"  
  
"Uh," there was a pause as the younger Slayer struggled to focus her thoughts. "I was three weeks from my sixteenth birthday."  
  
"Then we'll say sixteen," Wesley nodded. "This makes it doubly imperative we track down these children. Not only for Faith and Xander, but for the whole world."  
  
Buffy nodded. Not that she needed extra incentive. She was going to rip this town apart to find those children and if she had to create a LA sized crater to do it, then that was fine by her. She glanced towards Angel. "Angel?"  
  
The vampire paused for a second before speaking. "Wes, I want you to go with Buffy and Willow and cover the west side looking for any trace of Dawn and Giles. Gunn, take the rest of the Slayers and go through the east side. The rest of us will stay here and see if Xander turns up or Wolfram & Hart contact us."  
  
Buffy nodded before turning to Kennedy. "Kennedy, can you bring the weapons in." The younger Slayer nodded before trailing the other new- comers out of the room.  
  
"You really hate me don't you B?"  
  
Buffy's head snapped round to see Faith stood behind her. "N..no," she shook her head.  
  
Her counterpart smiled bitterly. "Fuck B, don't bullshit a bullshitter. You can't bear to look at me. That's five by five, not like I've given you a reason to like me."  
  
"It's not that," Buffy swallowed. She and Faith had never had a heart to heart before. "I nearly killed your children."  
  
Faith looked surprised then shrugged. "Different time B. I was trying to kill you remember? Besides you didn't," the brunette smirked. "My babies are tough."  
  
"Like their mom."  
  
Faith winked. "Damn straight."  
  
The other Slayer turned away. "Faith," the raven-haired beauty turned back to her, a quizzical look on her face. "How did Xander take it? Finding out I mean?"  
  
The Bostonian's face fell. "He already knew B, that's why he was giving me the attitude not 'cause I tried to kill him."  
  
"He'll forgive you, that's Xander's power – he forgives people."  
  
"Maybe," Faith didn't look convinced.  
  
Buffy decided to change the subject. "When are you twenty-one?"  
  
"Uh," Faith thought for a second. "9th June, a week."  
  
"A week's time," Buffy commented. "I think getting your kids back for you would be a pretty good present."  
  
Eyes watering, Faith nodded. "The best ever."  
  
"We better make sure it happens then," Buffy turned at a hand on her elbow. It was Kennedy. "Ready?" Kennedy nodded. "See you later Faith."  
  
"Bye B."

* * *

Faith jumped as her mobile rang. After a second she pulled out her phone. "Hello, this is Daniel Wolfe of Wolfram & Hart. I trust you are well Faith?"  
  
"Cut the shit," she growled. "You better worry about my kids' health, you piece of s -."  
  
"Really Faith," the disembodied voice reprimanded. "Is that any way to speak to your future employer? It's hardly a good way to start employer- employee relations, causes unnecessary tension."  
  
"Whatever, just tell me where my babies are," she demanded, her entire body shaking with anger and fear.  
  
"Say please," the lawyer taunted.  
  
Faith gritted her teeth. "Please."  
  
"That's better, you'll soon be well-trained, malleable. Willing to do as you're told without question, why I'm sure you'll be up for employee of the month in no time." Faith's blood ran cold. "I want you at the park on 9th Street in 30 minutes. Oh, and bring the vampire."


	8. 8

Actions & Consequences (8/?)  
  
"Remember Faith," Angel soothed. "Keep calm."  
  
"Yeah calm," Faith muttered, barely hearing the vampire's words. She was going to see her babies for the first time ever, but at what price? She looked down at her trembling hands. "You driving Fang?" at Angel's nod she threw him the car keys. "Let's go."  
  
They'd be on the road for two minutes when she noticed something. "We've got a tail."  
  
Angel nodded tightly. "I know, we don't exactly have time for evasive action. Besides it's probably someone from Wolfram & Hart making sure we don't bring anyone else."  
  
Faith's mouth twisted in distaste. She was helpless, she fucking hated being helpless. When she'd got her powers she'd thought she'd never be helpless again. "Five by five." A troubling thought suddenly occurred. "Fang, why do they want you here?"

* * *

"I don't know," Angel lied smoothly. He knew full well why Wolfram & Hart wanted him there. He would be the deal-clincher, when Faith staked him she would get her children.  
  
But could he do it? He'd die in a second to protect Faith and by extension her children. But what if by doing that he tied Faith into a lifetime of slavery? And if by doing that he left LA unprotected?  
  
His mind was still whirling as he pulled up by the park. His forehead furrowed when he looked around the dimly lit park, noting the trees and bushes for gunmen to hide in. It was a perfect place for an ambush; indeed, he could see half a dozen shapes in the shadows.  
  
Quelling his unease, he turned towards his companion. "Let's go." Faith nodded slightly, her face pale and the sound of her thumping heart deafening him.  
  
They had barely entered the park when a suited man with eyes colder than any vampire and an air of smug superiority that had him wanting to tear the prick's head off confronted them. Behind him there was three armed men wearing fatigues and two children, Angel forced a smile, oh they were Xander and Faith's kids alright, there was something about the way they glared at their captor that was reminiscent of their parents' spirit. "Ms Faith, I'm Daniel Wolfe, Wolfram & Hart's lawyer in this custody matter. It's a great pleasure to meet such an illustrious personality."  
  
"Yeah sure," his friend's gaze was fixed on her children.  
  
The lawyer moved between Faith and the children, blocking her view. "Once we have the niceties over with you can have your children back," the lawyer's smile widened, Angel tensed, here it came.  
  
The Slayer looked at the lawyer. "Niceties?" she asked, her voice husky with pain.  
  
"Kill Angel."  
  
"W...what?"  
  
"Kill the vampire, as a sign of good faith, if you will."  
  
Angel pulled a stake out of his pocket and threw it to Faith. "Do it."

* * *

Buffy kicked the double doors of the demon bar open. "I see subtlety still hasn't entered your vocabulary," Wesley muttered beside her. "Maybe I could buy you a thesaurus."  
  
"Bloody hell!" Buffy's pleasure at the assorted demons and vampires' died at one of the Falgara demons' next words. "Not you again, you and that Slayer nearly wrecked the place last time."  
  
"Ah good," Wes smiled. "You remember me." Buffy watched open-mouthed as the Watcher turned off the blaring jukebox with the unique method of blowing a hole through it with his shotgun. Once the ringing in her ears had stopped she realised he was speaking. "That should make things easier. What do you know of the Order of Kali?"

* * *

Faith looked at Angel. "Do it," the vampire repeated. "I've had my time and more. They haven't," he said. "Do it for them."  
  
Faith looked towards the vampire, her hero, then towards the children, her babies, and finally towards the smirking lawyer. God, she so wanted to smash that prick's teeth down his throat. Tears blurring her eyes, she raised a stake. "I'm sorry Angel," she whispered.  
  
"Oh, I don't think so." Faith's head snapped round to see Xander rising out of the near-by bushes holding a shotgun. Suddenly the air rang to the boom of gunfire. One, then two of the men hit the ground, their heads blown off. Faith's heart stopped as the third man drew a bead on her frightened children, clinging to one another on the ground.  
  
Suddenly she heard an enraged roar and saw Angel moving at a blur, his vampiriac face showing, as he slammed into the man knocking him halfway across the park. Hearing a bush rustle behind her, Faith moved into a spin- kick, her foot smashing into the man's wrist, sending his gun flying into the air. Moving forward, she grabbed the man around the throat and flung him headfirst into the nearest tree. "Bastard!" eyes flaming she turned to look for the lawyer only to find he'd disappeared. Her blood chilled as she saw another man rising out of the bushes behind her kids, too far for her to reach, she glanced at Xander. He'd seen them too, but was busy re- loading.

* * *

Wesley winced as Buffy threw the bar owner the length of the bar and into the far wall. "Where are the Order Of Kali?" the tiny blonde demanded.  
  
"It appears Ms. Summers still has anger management issues."  
  
"Oh," his red-haired companion commented. "You have no idea."  
  
"I..I don't know," the demon sobbed.  
  
"Then you're no good to me," the blonde's sword flashed down tearing the demon's head from his shoulders, splattering a green viscera on the grey wall behind.  
  
"And," he refused to look at the balls of fire his companion was juggling, keeping the bar's patrons from rushing them. "How are you Miss Rosenberg?"  
  
"My girl-friend's got a pierced tongue," the Wicca proclaimed proudly.  
  
Wesley's cheeks reddened. "How fascinating."

* * *

Faith screamed her fury as the man began shooting. Suddenly her hero was between her babies and the man, the rounds meant for her children impacting with the vampire's chest, blood erupting from the wound and her ears ringing with Angel's pained bellow.  
  
She started towards the shooter only for his head to explode into a red mist and his headless body crumple to the ground. She turned her head to see Xander heading towards Angel's crumpled body. "You okay Deaboy?"  
  
Faith was surprised at the concern she heard in her fellow parent's voice. The vampire smiled weakly. "They don't make guns like they used to. Now the Colt Peacemaker, there was a gun," the vampire winced. "Need blood and then I'll be okay. The children."  
  
Faith looked around, her heart dropping as she realised her two kids had disappeared. "SHIT!" Where the fuck had they gone?

* * *

Kennedy glanced at the African-American beside her. "Are you sure this is the place?" she whispered.  
  
Gunn nodded. "Yeah, my contact said they've been bringing stuff in and out of here for weeks now, preparing for some big ritual. Strictly humans and not belonging to any of the known groups."  
  
"Sounds good," Kennedy noted that Vi's voice was bubbling with eagerness. "How are we going to do this?"  
  
Gunn grinned. "I was figuring on the direct approach."  
  
"Come on Hope!" Alex Ashford gasped to his younger sister. "We've got to get away from those weirdos!"

* * *

"I want mummy and daddy!" his little sister sobbed.  
  
Alex's own eyes burnt at the mention of mummy and daddy. "I want them too little sis," he replied. "But we've got each other. I'll look after you."  
  
"Honest?" his sister stared up at him, her eyes scared .  
  
"Honest Indian, come on Hoppy!" His sister screamed. Spinning round he saw a stranger picking up his struggling sister. Heart pounding he charged forward. "Get off Hoppy," he roared, hoping to scare the nasty man. Instead, the man hit him across the face, knocking him to the ground.  
  
"Oh, you're going to pay for that." Tears of pain blinding him, Alex didn't see anything but heard a thud, a crack, a strangled gasp, and then felt a pair of strong arms lifting him. He struck out desperately, attempting to free himself. "Hey sweetie pie," a woman husked. "I'm not gonna hurt you."  
  
His vision clearing he saw the pretty woman from before effortlessly cradling both her sister and him in her arms. "W..who are you?"  
  
The woman's face grew confused. "I'm a friend," her smile seemed real sad, like the one Hoppy would have when Greg Matherson would steal her dolls and he'd have to punch him in the nose to get them back. "I'm here to help you, okay?"  
  
"Are they alright Faith?"  
  
The pretty girl smirked. "I don't know X," she replied. "What do you think Hope, Alex, you five by five?" he nodded, mesmerised by the woman's smile. The woman chuckled. "They're five by five X. How's Fang?"  
  
"Needs some blood," the man replied. "But he thinks he'll be alright."  
  
"Wicked."  
  
"W...who are you?"  
  
The woman's face darkened making his sister whimper. "Don't you hurt Hoppy!" he shouted, ignoring his own fright.  
  
"Sticking up for your sis uh?" the pretty woman chuckled. "You're a brave little guy." He was surprised to see tears in the woman's eyes.  
  
"Don't cry Miss," he begged tearfully. "I'm sorry. Sometimes my daddy," he felt his bottom lip begin to quiver at the memories.  
  
"Hey, hey," the girl clutched him to her chest. "I won't cry if you don't little guy. Deal?" he nodded. "That's a good boy. Let's get you two kiddos somewhere safe."  
  
"Who are they?" he pointed a shaking hand to the one-eyed man looking strangely at them while holding up a weird looking man.  
  
"That's Xander, and he's Angel my best friend in the whole world. They knew you were in trouble and came to help me make you safe." Suddenly he began crying. "What's up little guy?"  
  
"They killed my mummy and daddy."  
  
"Hey, hey, hey," the woman soothed. "Don't worry, I'll look after you. Nobody's going to hurt you again."

* * *

Joe Dawson glared at the pretty white girl stumbling out of the shadows on the arm of a wog. Bitches like her needed a white man to show the error of their ways. Quelling the racist thoughts that had gotten him thrown out of the Marines, he looked towards his companion, nodded, and unfastened his jacket allowing easy access to his automatic stepped forward and forced a polite smile. "Can I help you?"  
  
The brunette looked up, her lips parted in a smile. "Yeah," she nodded. "We'd like our Watcher and Key back."  
  
Eyes widening, his hand dipped inside his jacket only for the girl to slam a palm into his jaw, shattering the bone, sending him plummeting to the ground. Blood dribbling from his mouth he attempted to clamber to his feet but the brunette smashed a fist into the side of his head, knocking him out.

* * *

"That was," Kennedy straightened, "pathetically easy." God, she hoped Dawn and Giles were alright, she'd got them into this after all.  
  
"Shall we?"  
  
Kennedy glared at Gunn's offered crooked arm. "Not funny."  
  
"Gee," Gunn's eyes rolled back. "You try and be a gentleman." 


	9. 9

Actions & Consequences (9/?)  
  
"Who are you?" the boy, her boy, her son, asked for what seemed the tenth time.  
  
Faith looked at the kid, for once lost for what to say. Suddenly Xander spoke up from putting a groaning Angel into the passenger seat. "You know about how the stork delivers babies right?"  
  
"And mamma found us behind a bush?" Hope broke in.  
  
"Yeah," Xander's smile made their daughter giggle. "Well your mummy wasn't the first person to find you, Faith was." Two pairs of enquiring eyes turned to her. Faith smiled weakly, oh god what was Xander going to say next? Xander hurried to the other side of the car and jumped in. "She really wanted to keep you, but she was only little herself and scared she couldn't do a good job looking after you, so even though it hurt her a lot because she loved you with all her heart she gave you away."  
  
"So you're our real mummy?" Hope asked. Faith nodded, tears blinding her. "B..but who's our real daddy?"  
  
There was a choked gasp from Xander and silence, then Angel spoke. "Xander is, beautiful. He was only little himself and he didn't have any money. Your mummy was scared to tell him about finding you so she didn't. But now, both your mummy and daddy want to love you."  
  
"Are you going to give us away again?"  
  
"No," Faith shook her head at her son's question and hugged him. "Me and Xander are going to look after you if that's five by five?"  
  
Alex face creased in puzzlement. "What's five by five?"  
  
"Yeah," commented Hope. "Isn't wicked naughty?"  
  
Xander and Angel's laughter filled the car.

* * *

Giles stood up, his ears picking up voices approaching their cell. "Stay where you are Dawn," he instructed in a hiss as he moved behind the door. "I'll handle this." He'd allowed her sister to die twice, there was no bloody way he was going to allow harm to come to Dawn.  
  
The instance the door swung open, Giles went for a judo strangle hold. And found himself crashing to the floor, a soft yet surprisingly strong form landing on top of him. "Why Mr. Giles," the figure said coyly. "I never guessed. But what will Willow say? I think we'll have to keep this development between the two of us."  
  
"Ha, bloody ha," Giles hoped his glare conveyed his complete lack of amusement. He was getting too old to be thrown about by girls half his size. "Very amusing Kennedy, now are you going to let me up?"  
  
Willow's girl-friend grinned. "But Mr. Giles," she replied with a pout. "I was just getting comfortable."  
  
Right that moment Angel's African-American friend walked through the cell door. Giles groaned, bloody marvellous, another witness to his humiliation. The young man grinned at a giggling Dawn to the back of the cell. "Never knew you swung both ways Kennedy. You turned me down earlier."  
  
Kennedy winked at the newcomer. Oh things just went from bad to bleeding awful. "I was waiting for the right man. You weren't it, Mr. Giles was."  
  
"DO YOU ALL BLOODY MIND!"  
  
"See," Kennedy continued as if he hadn't spoken at all. "It's how masterful he is. Sometimes a girl likes to be taken in hand, to know who's boss. Mr. Giles," Kennedy shivered, "he's so dominating."  
  
Giles' head sunk into his hands. "I think I preferred it when I was a prisoner." Suddenly Xander didn't seem quite so annoying.

* * *

"Sire?"  
  
Lord Pain nodded at his subordinate, his oldest childe, a four hundred year old Cossack. "Sergi?"  
  
The thick-set Russian nodded respectfully. "The Two were in the hands of Wolfram & Hart," Pain grimaced, even The Brotherhood would be hard-pressed to take on the law firm. "But, they are now in the hands of the child's mother and the traitor Angelus."  
  
Pain's mouth parted in a smile. He'd seen photographs of the children's mother. A striking beauty, a worthy addition to his collection of victims. And to rid his race of the taint that was Angelus. "Better and better."

* * *

"Damn fools!" Wolfe slammed his fist into the desk. They'd nearly killed him. That boy, the brats' father if he remembered right from the file had meant to be nothing more than a buffoon, instead he'd wiped out seven of his best men. How was that possible? Measures had to be taken. He pressed down on his intercom. "I want the file on Xander Harris now!"

* * *

Angel glanced over his shoulder and smiled. The pain coursing through his body was more than counter-balanced by Faith's look of glee as she talked quietly to her children, her arms wrapped protectively around them. He'd always sensed an aura of loneliness and pain around the Slayer. Maybe if he had taken more notice of her before things had gone down with Finch, maybe her time in prison could have been avoided. Maybe she'd never had to gone through her coma, losing her children.  
  
He shook his head, maybes didn't matter. Right now his protégée looked happier than he'd ever seen her, that was the important thing. He turned his head to inspect the car's driver, he didn't think he'd been ever so surprised as when Xander had stepped out of the bushes and started firing his guns like something out of an Arnie movie. "How did you do it Xander? Soldier boy?" he guessed.  
  
He was surprised when the youth shook his head. "No."  
  
"How then?" this came from Faith.  
  
After a second Xander laughed, it was a bitter sound belonging to a man in his dotage and not a young man with his life ahead of him. "Every family's got a black sheep right? 'Cept the Sunnydale Harrises had to do that different too. Our black sheep was the brother who actually amounted to something. Older brothers Tony and Rory were a pair of bums but Marcus, he was a different thing entirely. Born in the sweltering summer of '58, he had the right idea, get out of Sunnydale soon as possible. Didn't get the grades to go to college so he took the only route out – the army, the US. Rangers. Did twenty years from '76 to '96 before returning home to open a Martial Arts dojo."  
  
"He trained in the arts in the service?" Faith's tone held a note of professional interest.  
  
Xander chuckled. "He was US. Armed Forces Cruiserweight Champion in Judo, Tae Kwon Do, and Aikido in '84, '86, and '88, so yeah he's trained. Got black belts in all three and one in Shotokan . He's also cross-trained at Escrima, Hapkido and Krav Maga.".  
  
"Krav Maga?" he heard of the Filipino and Korean arts but the other one was new to him.  
  
Faith replied for Xander, a note of respect. "Israelis teach it to their special forces, your uncle sounds like a real bad ass."  
  
"Oh!" Alex sounded outraged. "You used a naughty word."  
  
"I'm sorry baby," despite the note of contrition he heard in his friend's voice, he also heard amusement. "You'll forgive me?"  
  
"Don't do it again," Hope scolded.  
  
"I'll try not to."  
  
Angel's ribs ached with the effort of not laughing at Faith being told off by two toddlers, looking across his companion he saw Xander's jaw twitching uncontrollably. "That's going to be an effort," Xander finally gasped.  
  
That was enough to set Angel over the edge and start laughing, soon Xander joined him. "Mummy," Hope piped up. "What they laughing at?"  
  
"Just silly big boy things," Faith replied loftily. "He see action Xand?"  
  
"Got a Silver Star in Grenada and a Bronze Star in the Gulf."  
  
Faith whistled. "So he train you X?"  
  
Xander nodded. "When Buffy ran away after-, in '98," after sending him to hell, Angel silently added. "I figured I needed to learn how to fight if I was to be going up against vampires so Uncle Marcus taught me. I have a black belt in Judo, and brown belts in Aikido and Tae Kwon Do. He also taught me small arms usage and other stuff too."  
  
"Wow," Faith. "Now Alex, Hope, when we get out of the car you have to give your daddy a big hug and a thank you for helping us okay?"  
  
"Okay," the children chorused.  
  
Angel glanced out of the window as they pulled up outside his base of operations. "Faith, you take the kids in," Xander said. "I'll help Angel in."  
  
"But mommy said we've got to give you a hug," Hope protested.  
  
"I want a hug too," Xander looked into the back. Angel saw a tear welling in his companion's eye. "But wait until we're inside. Good girl?"  
  
"Okay daddy."

* * *

It was a struggle to get the groaning vampire out of the car and into the hotel, the adrenalin and fear that had fuelled his beaten body earlier dissipating, but when he got into the lobby, he stopped dead in amazement. His kids were sat on Lorne's knee listening to the green-skinned demon sing nursery rhymes as Faith and Fred looked on. "He's safe right?" he muttered.  
  
"Lorne wouldn't know how to hurt them," Angel reassured him.  
  
After a second he nodded uncertainly. "Okay," he looked around. "Where's the blood?"  
  
"Through there," the vampire nodded towards a door to the back of the lobby.  
  
"Let's get you in there then." Once he'd sat the vampire down he rummaged through the fridge, his face wrinkling in distaste. "Deadboy, do you need a bib?"  
  
"Funny guy Xander."  
  
"I try Captain HairGel."  
  
"Xander," he turned to see Faith stood in the doorway, a rare uncertain look in her eyes. "I'm gonna take the kids upstairs to my room, okay?"  
  
He was momentarily surprised that Faith was asking his permission but nodded. "Sure."

* * *

Faith looked up from playing with her babies to see Xander enter the room she'd been occupying for the past thirty or so minutes. Her stomach hollowed with fear as she saw Red, B, G, and Pip. She was on the outside again, they were all X's friends and not hers, if it came to a court contest for her babies she wouldn't have a chance. She smiled nervously as her babies hurried to their father and he started introducing his friends, Giles pulling a slight face at his description of 'Grandpa Giles'. Finally Xander looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Faith can I have a word with you outside please?"  
  
"Daddy-."  
  
Xander crouched down beside Hope. "Listen sweetie pie, me and your Mummy have talk boring grown-up stuff, but your aunties and grandpa want to play with you, and we'll be right back. Okay?"  
  
"Promise?"  
  
Xander ruffled her little girl's hair, damn it seemed so natural to him, maybe they would be better with him. "I promise, sweetie pie." He looked up at her. "Faith?"  
  
She nodded shakily. "Sure." What was he going to say?


	10. 10

A/N: Faith might seem a little OOC here, but bear in mind her confidence has taken a hell of a knock since Wood, the man with which she thought was having her first serious relationship with, betrayed her.  
  
Actions & Consequences (10/?)  
  
"After everything that's happened," Xander glared irritably at the corridor's other occupant. "Faith, will you stop it with that damn pacing, you're making my head spin."  
  
"Sorry." The Slayer leaned against the opposite wall, her arms crossed and expression anxious.  
  
"After everything's that happened I'm pretty set up financially, I'll be getting 100 K for my eye, seven hundred for Anya," he winced, the love of his life's death, how do you put a price on that? "She played the stocks and apparently there's one hundred and fifty K in our joint bank account. And G-Man," Xander shook his head in amazement, this was the weird part. "Has told me the Council owes me about 400K for the past seven years working as an unpaid Operations troop. So I was figuring I could buy a house for me and the kids and look after them properly-."  
  
The brunette let out a pained gasp. "Please X, I know I screwed up," the Bostonian babbled, her eyes filling with terror. "I know I hurt you a lot, I know I deserve to punished, but not this. Please don't take my babies away. They need me, I need them."  
  
"Just wait," he interrupted. "Not finished yet. I was thinking you could move in with us, if you wanted. There'd be conditions."  
  
"Anything X, anything you've ever wanted to do to a girl, I'll let you do it and I'll enjoy -," the Bostonian moved closer, her eyes pleading as she cupped his face in her shaking hands. "I'll take wicked care of-."  
  
"Whoa!" Xander stepped back. "Not those sort of conditions. I just lost the woman I love, why in the hell would I want you?"  
  
The Slayer looked confused. "What then?"  
  
It took him a second to get his mind back on track after Faith's admitably attractive offer. "First you get your GED, it'll be hard teaching them about the value of education when their mom hasn't finished high school."  
  
"Got it in prison."  
  
"Okay," Xander was momentarily surprised. "Well done. Second, you stop Slaying, teach self-defence or just stay home, but I'm not explaining your death to them, not after their other mother and father's. Three, you stop smoking. You can't get lung cancer but they can. And four, what you do with guys is your own business, but you hire a motel room or do it in a car backseat, you don't bring it into our home."  
  
"I..I'm not like that anymore X."  
  
"Whatever," he snorted. A leopard couldn't change its spots or a slut her ways. He'd learnt that with Faith the hard way.  
  
"I'm not," the brunette insisted. "They're my priority now, not getting laid or partying, looking after them. Where would we live?"  
  
Xander shrugged. "I haven't worked the details out yet. Well, what do you say?" he hoped his indifferent tone conveyed his complete lack of interest either way.  
  
Faith nodded. "It sounds like a wicked offer," the Bostonian smiled weakly. "Me and you, a fresh start, like buds. I really appreciate thi-."  
  
"Don't bother," he interrupted. "I don't like you, but you are good with them and I'm not going to take you away from them. I'm doing this for them, not you. Right now, I'd rather do Deadboy a favour than you." Turning, he headed back into the room.

* * *

Faith stared with frustration at Xander's back as he strode back into the room, her heart clenching with pain at his attitude. If he'd just give her a chance to show him how much she'd changed. Even more than a proper mom or dad she'd wanted a big bro, some one to hang with, look after her, and tell secrets she couldn't tell her parents. She'd been an only child, fuck an unwanted one at that, and guys had never wanted to be her friend just get her on her back, but Xand, he'd tried to be her friend but she'd blown it. "Fuck," she muttered. "Living with him's going to be a barrel of laughs." But she could it for her kids.  
  
She smiled unwillingly as she re-entered the room and saw her babies shrieking with joy as Willow showed off her magical skills by levitating the two kids in the air. "Look Mummy!" Lex yelled. "Auntie Willa's making us fly."  
  
"I can see baby," she called. "Are you having fun?"  
  
"Yeah, auntie Willa's the best!"  
  
"And," Hope broke in. "Auntie Buffy's as strong as you. She lifted us both over her head! It was wicked!"  
  
She chuckled to hear one of her catchphrases from her daughter's mouth. "I bet baby."  
  
"They really are wonderful children, a real credit to you."  
  
Faith flushed at Giles' whispered praise. "I didn't do nothing 'cept supply an egg," she muttered.  
  
"So far," the Watcher fixed her with a piercing look, the sort that made her feel sixteen and back in the library that he'd made his domain. "But now you have to take on the responsibility of being a parent."  
  
"I'm scared G," she admitted in a whisper. "I love 'em and want to be a good ma, but my ma was a pretty lousy example. I've fu-, screwed up everything I've ever done. Maybe-."  
  
"Maybe nothing," the Watcher interrupted, his tone firm, the sort that in more innocent days had always had her diving for cover. "You have a good heart Faith, and I'm sure that you have plenty of love to give those two children. I'm positive you'll make a fine parent."  
  
"Doubt Xander sees it like that."  
  
Her mutter was picked up by the Watcher. "Xander is very angry Faith, and you can hardly blame him for that. Give him time and he'll come round. If not, then I will have a word with him. He can't go around creating a bad atmosphere for your children." The Englishman's tone lightened. "You'll have plenty of support, built-in babysitters with all their aunts and apparently," she giggled at the Watcher's injured tone. "Their grand- father." She was surprised when the middle-aged man put an arm around her shoulders. "They'll doubtless be times when you do or say the wrong thing, that they'll disappoint, scare, or hurt you-."  
  
"Not exactly filling me with a confident glow there G."  
  
"But they'll also be school plays, prize-days, track meets, dances, and other moments you'll savour forever Faith. You've missed out on their first three years. Cherish the rest of their childhood."  
  
"Thanks G."  
  
"You're welcome Faith, and remember I'm only ever a phone call away."  
  
"Granpappy! Come tell us a story!" Alex shouted excitedly as Willow lowered the levitating infants to the bed.  
  
"Granpappy, bloody marvellous," Giles groused. "I swear Caleb should have ripped Xander's tongue out rather than poke out his eye." She giggled again. "And you don't need to laugh young lady. Now," the newly named grandfather turned his attention to her children. "Have you heard the story of Ali Baba?"  
  
"No!" two voices chorused.  
  
"Do you want to?"  
  
"Yeah!" the two voices exclaimed.

* * *

"Excuse me," Giles glanced away from his two grand-children sat on his lap, he was going to enjoy getting to know them, help their parents do the best job possible, to his fellow Englishman in the doorway. "Angel's feeling better, we're ready for the council."  
  
Giles felt the joy evaporate from the room as its occupants were returned to the grim reality of their situation. He started to stand only for Alex to grab his hand. "Granpappy tell us another story!"  
  
"And finally," Xander muttered. "He finds somebody who enjoys his stories."  
  
"Daddy," Hope looked shocked. "Granpappy tells the best stories!"  
  
"My mistake," Xander looked around. "Who's going to sit with them?"  
  
"I am," the green-skinned demon friend of Angel entered.  
  
"Lorne! Lorne!" instantly Alex released his hand and rushed over to the demon, followed by the boy's sister. "Are you going to sing for us, please?"  
  
Laughing, the stylishly dressed demon scooped up the boy. "If that's what you and this pretty one want!"  
  
"Ah," Xander sighed and looked at him. "G-man, so easily replaced."  
  
Remembering the children Giles resisted the urge to tell Xander to piss off. "Shall we go down?"  
  
He was surprised when Hope rushed back to him and grabbed his hand. "Don't go granpappy!"  
  
He crouched down by his newly discovered granddaughter. "I'll come back later," he replied.  
  
"With more stories?" the pleading look in the girl's eyes made his heart catch. How many times in her childhood had Faith looked up at her mother with those eyes and been either ignored or hit?  
  
Finally he managed to speak. "With more stories."  
  
"Got a fan there Giles," Xander commented as they walked down the corridor to the meeting room.  
  
He looked at his surrogate son. "They're wonderful children," he enthused before resorting to a darker tone. "They're a credit to you, to both of you. You're both very lucky to have them." His point made, he continued on.  
  
Upon entering the room, Angel stood. "You want to take this meeting Giles?"  
  
After blinking in surprise he nodded at the vampire and sat. "As I see it, we have three adversaries – W&H, the Kalian Order, and The Blood Brotherhood'."  
  
"What about those others?"  
  
Giles turned to Dawn. "What others?" his brow creased. "Oh yes, when we were being questioned, I overheard one of Wood's," Faith grimaced at the mention of her former love. "Companions discussing a group known as the Apocalypse Foun-."  
  
"Oh bloody hell," Wesley groaned. "Their leader is Archibald Trent. He was three years ahead of me at Watcher School, a bully and lech who got thrown out of the Council for experimenting with dark magics. He founded the Apocalypse Foundation to further his powers in the occult world."  
  
"Very well," Giles re-ordered his thoughts. "Angel, I need you to come with me into the Wolfram & Hart building."  
  
"Wes knows his way round there best," the vampire interjected.  
  
"Very well," he nodded. "And then I want -."  
  
"I'm coming with you."  
  
After a second he nodded, knowing full when that when Xander got that expression on his face it was pointless arguing. "Very well." He turned to the African-American. "Gunn will take Buffy and Faith to find any trace of these groups, while Fred," he nodded at the shy girl, "will take Willow, and Kennedy."  
  
"And me!" Giles opened his mouth to disagree but Dawn pre-empted him. "They're part of my family too."  
  
He sighed, he never won any of his arguments. "Go with Gunn's group. Neither Gunn's nor Fred's group are to engage any of our enemies, only find out where they are and what numbers they have." He saw Buffy's mouth open. "I'm not risking a pre-emptive strike that allows some of the enemy to escape. The other Slayers will be split between both teams, with the exception of Vi and Rona who will stay here with Lorne to guard the children." To his surprise instead of the expected anger at being left out, the two Slayers looked excited. Mind you, you needed the bloody energy of a Slayer to keep up with those rug-rats. "Any questions?" When there were none he rose. "Tomorrow night people."  
  
He turned towards the door. "Giles, can we speak, alone?"  
  
He turned to the vampire and nodded. "Certainly." Once the others had disappeared to get armed, he spoke. "Well?"  
  
"You realise that Wolfe has to die don't you?" Giles nodded, that was why he hadn't put any of the Slayers in their group. "And?" the vampire pressed.  
  
For a moment he saw Alex and Hope's smiling, laughing faces before him. "I don't have a problem with that." No one was hurting his grandchildren, no- body. And if he had to tear W&H down with his own two hands then that was – how would Faith put it? Ah yes, five by five by him.


	11. 11

Actions & Consequences (11/?)  
  
"Momma?"  
  
Faith stared at Lex, her heart catching at the sight of her little boy, hers, stood by his bed, a protective arm around his twin's shoulder. Every time either of them spoke to her, called her Momma or Ma or Mummy, her heart tightened with a combination of joy at finally at finding her babies and fear that she'd be a fuck-up of a parent just like her mom. Finally she found her voice. "Yes baby," she scooped her children up into her arms and kissed them on their foreheads with a softness she'd never kissed anyone with before. "What's up?"  
  
She hid a smile at the troubled look on her babies' face; they looked so sweet in the PJs Fang had found that had once been Connor's. "You know how you and Aunt Buffy are real strong?"  
  
"Yes baby," she nodded. They'd explained about Slayers, her heart had nearly burst with pride when Hoppy had called her 'a super-hero'.  
  
"And how's Auntie Willa can do magic," Hoppy's eyes widened at her comment. Again she nodded. "And Granpappy Giles knows everything?" Faith bit back a chuckle, better not let English hear that otherwise he would lord it over them.  
  
"And then there's Uncle Angel who's a vampire," Lex added. Faith could barely stop from laughing remembering how excited her babies had been when Fang had vamped out for them. "But," her baby hesitated.  
  
"Go on sweetie," she encouraged.  
  
"Why doesn't daddy have powers too? Why isn't he special too?"  
  
"Hey," Faith scolded gently before shaking her head. "You shouldn't say that about your daddy he's real special. Even though he hasn't got any powers he saved the world once on his own, when Auntie Buffy and Granpappy Giles couldn't," seeing her children's eyes widen she continued. "And he's helped your Auntie Buffy save the world a ton of times and killed plenty of demons."  
  
"How does he do all that without any powers?" asked an awe-struck Hoppy, her eyes wide with wonder.  
  
"Because," Faith stopped for a second wondering how to explain the concepts of honour, compassion, bravery, and loyalty to two three year olds, concepts she'd not believed in herself until recently. "Because he does have a power."  
  
"Really?" Lex looked so excited. She couldn't resist giving him an extra squeeze and a soppy kiss on his cheek. "Mom!" A look of disgust on his face, Lex wiped his face clean.  
  
Faith giggled at her son's horrified expression. "Sorry baby. Your daddy's power is he has the biggest heart in the world, all filled with love and courage."  
  
"Wow," Lex said. "We're really lucky to have him as our new dad aren't we?"  
  
"Yes you are sweetie, he'll be the best daddy in the world," Faith looked at the bed. "Now let me put you to bed. I'll sleep in the chair, okay?"  
  
"Momma," Hoppy asked in a small voice. "Can you sleep with us? Please?"  
  
Faith smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."  
  
In just a few seconds, she snuggled up to her babies, lying between them, holding them in a protective embrace. "Mommy?" Hoppy spoke, her voice sleepy. "You won't leave us like our other mommy did will you?"  
  
"Never," she vowed. She was going to be a mom for her babies to be proud of.

* * *

Xander stopped outside the door to his children's room, his forehead creased in thought. He looked down at the fairy tale books Fred have given him, with the shy suggestion that he might want to read his children a bedtime story. Finally he shook his head and backed away from the door, he couldn't go in there, not after what he'd just overheard, not with his feelings all confused about Faith.  
  
Turning, he started back towards his room. Maybe, just maybe, Faith had changed. Or maybe, he scowled, she'd heard him outside and said it to impress him, show him what a great girl she was. Wouldn't put it past her, he still remembered what a devious manipulator she was.  
  
"Xander."  
  
He jumped at the unexpected voice beside him. His heart thumping, he turned to the vampire by his side and glared. "Damn it Deadboy!" he growled. "You own this big ass hotel, but you still can't afford a bell around your neck? What's up with that?"  
  
The vampire smiled thinly. "You wouldn't understand."  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"It's a question of style and you don't have any." Angel's face turned serious. "Can we talk?"  
  
Xander nodded even as he inwardly groaned. Great, here it came, a lecture on the wonderfulness of Faith. "Sure, your office?"

* * *

"Willow?" a hesitant voice came through the door.  
  
Willow looked up from kissing the back of Kennedy's neck, allowing her hands to drop from cupping her girlfriend's breasts. "Come in Buffy," she called. "Later honey," she whispered a promise into the new Slayer's ear.  
  
The door swung open and Buffy walked in. Her best friend smiled at Kennedy. "Kennedy, can I have a word with Willow on my own please?"  
  
Her girl friend glanced at her for guidance, she nodded. Kennedy's answering smile seemed forced. "Sure Buffy."  
  
Rising Kennedy made her way to pass the oldest Slayer only for the blonde to block her path. "Thanks for what you did earlier; rescuing my sister and Giles, you did good work."  
  
Willow saw her girl friend's lips, oh so kissable lips, quirk up in a smile. "Thanks, but you might want to ask Giles about that. He wasn't best pleased to see me." Chuckling slightly, her girl-friend left.  
  
"What was that about?" Willow demanded as the door closed behind her girlfriend.  
  
Buffy shrugged. "I don't know although Giles was muttering something about pitying whoever ended up as her Watcher when they got back from being rescued."  
  
Willow crunched her forehead up in thought. How strange, it wasn't like Giles to be ungrateful. "So," she smiled expectantly at her best friend. "Not to be impatient or anything but I really wanted to get full use out of my girl-friend's tongue piercing tonight."  
  
"Okay," she was pleased when Buffy reddened. Payback's a bitch; she thought. After all those years being embarrassed by her friend's descriptions of her sex-life it was good to get some retaliation in. Honestly, the girl was second only to Anya sometimes. "Too much information Will," her friend's voice turned from dry humour to concern. "Will, what's up?"  
  
"I was just thinking of Anya and all the people we lost," Willow wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Her heart dropped at the sight of Buffy's face tightening. "Oh god Buffy, I'm sorry. I forgot about Spike!"  
  
Shaking her head, Buffy knelt on the end of the bed. "Don't worry, I've realised I need a for real normal guy, someone who knows about the Slaying but can deal with it, Spike was a mistake." Buffy smiled at her doubtful look. "Honestly, a mistake with great abs but once he put his shirt on.... No," her friend's face shadowed. "I was thinking of all those new Slayers who got murdered. By my plan."  
  
"Buffy," she breathed. "We won, we saved the world. Was there another way? Maybe if the Council hadn't been blown-up, we had more time, an army of ensoulled vampires, but we didn't, we were it. We did the best with what we had." Buffy looked doubtful. "But-."  
  
"No, no buts," Willow giggled. "Well except Kennedy or Faith's in lycra shorts. Look at me Buffy, this is resolve face, you and Xander know not to mess with this look."  
  
Buffy grinned then scowled. "Faith and Kennedy's butts? What's wrong with mine?"  
  
"Why did you want to see me anyway?" Willow evaded, telling a friend she had a butt as flat as a pancake was probably not the best way to keep their friendship intact. Girl likes to have something soft to hold and squeeze... "Well get on with it!" she snapped with more fervour than she intended, but she really needed Kennedy right about now.  
  
Buffy blinked at her tone and then continued. "So Xander and Faith having kids. How do you feel about that?"  
  
Willow stared at her companion for a moment, uncertain what to say about the contrasting emotions swirling around inside her. "You know when I was a girl playing with my dolls," her mother had disapproved, saying that a young woman of the twentieth century should play with 'non-gender specific' toys but she'd ignored her. "I always used to make Xander be the daddy -."  
  
She was interrupted by Buffy's snort. "Sorry, I just had a vision of Xander playing with a doll. Serious blackmail information." Her friend turned serious. "But how do you feel?"  
  
Willow shrugged. She didn't feel the same way she had about Faith, her turn to the dark side following Tara's death had shown her how seductive evil could be, and it wasn't like they were competing for the same boy, or even gender, anymore. And she knew who's best friend Buffy was, that insecurity didn't have the same bite it once had. But on the other hand... "I just want him to be happy and I'm glad he's finally got them, but," her face twisted in anguish. "Why didn't he tell me about them?"  
  
"Hey," Buffy hugged her. "He knew how hurt you were by you being with Faith at the time, maybe he was afraid to hurt you even more. And of me kicking his ass."  
  
"But what about the way he reacted at the wedding?" Willow added, all her worries surfacing. "I mean Xander's a good guy and everything, but can he be relied on to look after two kids?"  
  
"Then we'll have to make sure our nephew and niece gets the best home they can. What about," Buffy hesitated. "What about Faith as a mom?"  
  
Willow gnawed on her bottom lip in thoughtful contemplation. "I never saw hell raiser, 'get some, get gone' Faith as the earth mother type but the way she looked when we all walked into the room before, she was so frightened that we were going take her children away from her. And she idolises them," she decided not to tell Buffy about the eavesdropping spell she'd cast when Xander and the second Slayer had left the room. If Xander had tried to blackmail Faith into sex, well her new nephew and niece would be down a daddy.... If she didn't do it herself, she'd ensure that Angel and Giles were told. "You can tell by the way she looks at them, her pride when they call her mommy."  
  
"Yeah but," Buffy pressed. "What if it's a novelty? Knowing Faith she could be bored in a couple of months, leaving on the back of some biker's Harley, leaving her kids behind, all heartbroken."  
  
Willow fought back the urge to swear. It appeared that while she might have gotten over her issues with Faith, Buffy hadn't completely. "Just give her a chance Buff," she counselled softly. "If it doesn't work out," she shrugged. "Then Xander will have us all to help him won't he?"  
  
"He will," Buffy smiled unwillingly and stood. "They are little cuties aren't they?"  
  
Willow beamed. "Oh god yeah, Lex has got his daddy's smile, makes me want to cuddle him and never let him go."  
  
"Careful Will," Buffy grinned. "Kennedy hears you she'll think you're turning straight again."  
  
Willow giggled. "Just wait 'til Alex's 18, I'll be his Mrs Robinson!"  
  
"Ugh Will!" Buffy's nose scrunched up. "That's gross!" Her friend's face turned serious. "What about all these powers after them?"  
  
Willow felt her heart harden at the mention of the evil forces arrayed against them. "We'll deal, we always do," she said with a calmness she didn't feel. And if any of them hurt a hair on those two children's heads, she'd make them wish their names were Warren Meers.

* * *

"Angel," Xander sighed from the other side of his room. "I figured you invite me into here for some reason other than to stare a hole into my handsome face?"  
  
Angel started and nodded. "Sorry I was just thinking."  
  
"Ah," Xander nodded sagely. "Takes extra time for thoughts to make their way through your hair gel."  
  
Angel shook his head; one thing he hadn't missed from Sunnydale were Xander's attempts at humour. Taking an unneeded breath, he began to talk, telling Xander of what had happened to Cordelia, he didn't want to tell the youth but he felt it best that Xander found out direct from the source. Then at least he wouldn't have to wonder when the explosion came. He finished his recounting with a description of rescuing a comatose Cordelia from Connor. "So he's just disappeared?" Angel nodded; his son had leapt through a window just after he'd been defeated. "I'm sorry."  
  
Angel blinked. That wasn't the reaction he'd expected. "You're not angry?"  
  
"Angel," his companion sighed. "I spoke to Cordelia a couple of times a month," Angel blinked again, he hadn't known that. "She was so proud of what she did here, your work here. It made her happy and fulfilled, you made her happy damn it. She chose this life; you didn't force her into it."  
  
"Thanks," he hesitated. It wasn't any of his business, and yet... "I heard what Faith was saying about you."  
  
Xander looked surprised for a second. "What?" then he nodded. "Oh yeah, gotta love that vamp hearing. So?"  
  
"What did you think of what Faith said?"  
  
Xander shook his head. "Confused." The youth paused; Angel remained silent waiting for the young man to expand. Well, it wasn't like he was getting any older. "For the past four years I've hated Faith, for the way she treated me after we had sex, for trying to kill me, and most of all for stealing my kids away from me. Then I hear the person I hate the most of all in the world telling those self-same kids how much she thinks of me."  
  
"Xander," Angel struggled for the words to comfort the youth. "You want to blame anybody for Faith blame me."  
  
"Uh?" the one-eyed man looked confused.  
  
"Or blame guys like me," he clarified. "Like Liam at least. I never raped or beat a woman," well he hadn't as a human. "But I'd use any line to get a girl, especially one as beautiful as Faith, and then, once I'd got what I wanted, she'd be dumped, pregnant, heart-broken, her reputation ruined. It's because of guys like me when you went to see Faith after Finch she couldn't believe that you wouldn't want anything other than to use her, because that's all she'd ever known users."  
  
"You managed to reach her."  
  
Angel shrugged. "There's a darkness within both of us that gave me an understanding of her that you thankfully could never have," he smirked. "And as I remember it, it hurt a hell of a lot doing it too."  
  
Xander chuckled. "Having a Slayer beat her frustrations out on you can't be fun," he commented.  
  
"You have no idea," he retorted. "Xander," the younger man paused in rising. "Faith has her problems but she's also loyal, honest, and has a lot of love to give to her kids - and the right man."  
  
"The right man?" Xander's mouth dropped open. "Me and Faith? No way," he shook his head. "There lies the path of madness."  
  
"Why?" he asked bluntly. "Faith's beautiful, spirited, loyal, honest, brave, and funny as well as being the mother of your children."  
  
"As I've only got one eye now, sleeping with one eye open is going to be a problem."  
  
"Look Xander," Angel sighed. "I'm not saying get married tomorrow or anything drastic like that. I'm saying open your heart, you forgave Willow," Xander's mouth dropped open. "She mentioned it after ensoulling me, she was so proud of what you did. Give her a chance to prove she's changed. If you don't...." he allowed his voice to trail off.  
  
"That a threat Angel?"  
  
Angel chuckled at the look in the youth's one eye. "How stupid would I have to be to threaten you in a hotel filled with Slayers who to a woman adore you? Including the girl we're talking about? No," he shook his head. "I'm just warning you that you could be losing out on a great opportunity. But," he flashed his eyes yellow. "I am warning you abuse her in any way, and Buffy and Willow won't be able to stop me from paying you a visit."  
  
To his surprise his companion, didn't flinch. "Good to know."

* * *

Alone in his hotel room, Giles smiled as he remembered the look of wonder in his grand-children's eyes as he'd regaled them with tale after tale. He'd never married, so the Scoobies were his surrogate children, and fine children they were. He was amazed how much the three of them had grown, Faith seemed completely different, especially when her children were with her. He just wished Anya, Tara, and Cordy were still with them, to share in all this.  
  
Noting the early morning rays were beginning to come through the windows, he climbed into his bed, he needed to rest before tonight's action. His smile faded, his face hardening into something Ethan Rayne would have recognised as Ripperish, as he considered the forces arrayed against them. They were all going to learn what a mistake it was to try and hurt his family.

* * *

The teen looked down from his crouched position on the hotel fire escape. He knew they wouldn't be able to detect him, not with the skills his guardian and hard life had taught him. The loyalty he'd seen puzzled him, it must be.... "Family," he muttered before disappearing into the night. The children were interesting.... He'd keep an eye on them.


	12. 12

Actions (12/?)  
  
"Fuck," Faith groaned. Whatever bar pick-up was slobbering on her face was so going to get his ass kic-.  
  
"Momma," a tiny hand slapped the crook of her arm. "You used the worst word ever!"  
  
Suddenly her eyes shot open to see two sets of glaring eyes staring down at her. "Oops," Faith forced a look of contrition, not one she had much practice with, she freely admitted. "Forgiven babies?"  
  
Hoppy nodded immediately but Lex was made of sterner stuff. "Mommy you said a naughty word last night too!" her son shook his head, his look firmly disapproving.  
  
"I'm sorry," god if anyone ever got a tape of this conversation, she was turning psycho again and killing every last one of them. "Don't be angry at Mommy. I'll try harder."  
  
"Honest Indian?" Hoppy broke in, her eyes grave.  
  
"Honest Indian," she confirmed with a nod. God they were adorable and they were hers to look after. She wouldn't mess this up, it was too important. "But only if..." she allowed her voice to trail off.  
  
"What mommy?" Hoppy asked.  
  
"If," she linked her arms around her babies' waists and pulled them to her with a laugh. "We cuddle!"

* * *

"No," Xander shook his head firmly. "Not going to happen."  
  
"But daddy," Lex looked confused as he stared up at the one-eyed man. "Isn't Uncle Angel doing a nice thing?"  
  
Xander stared at his son. Angel sighed, as nice and novel as it was to see his old sparring partner stuck for words, this conversation wasn't going anywhere fast. "Xander, can I speak to you in my office please?"  
  
"Oooh," commented Hoppy, her eyes wide. "Are you going to tell Daddy off Uncle Angel?"  
  
Angel fought to remind himself that his image didn't allow for him laughing. "No Hope, your father and I have grown-up," he winced, grown-up with Xander Harris? "Things to discuss."  
  
"But you're not going to shout at him?" Lex broke in, his face worried.  
  
"No," he shook his head, before crouching in front of the three year old. It was becoming an even greater struggle to keep his face straight. "Just talk."  
  
"Promise?" the toddler pressed with the tenacity of a congressional lawyer.  
  
"I promise," he replied, his expression grave.  
  
"Okay," Lex nodded his head slowly.  
  
"Can we go now?" Xander asked, Angel noted the beginnings of a smile tugging at the young man's face. Both children nodded. "Okay, you be good for your mommy and auntie Dawn?"  
  
"Okay daddy," the children chorused.  
  
Angel's vampire hearing picked up Dawn's muttering. "Oh yeah, like that going to work."  
  
Once inside the office, Xander glared at him. "I'm not taking your money Deadboy."  
  
It was an effort but he managed not to throw the boy through the nearest wall. "Damn it Xander," he growled. "Four damn years and you still haven't grown up? Buffy and I have moved on, why haven't you?" the youth's face stayed impassive. Angel sighed, he had thought their talk last night had cleared the air, but obviously he'd been mistaken. "If you won't take the money for yourself, how about them? Faith needs some new things, and god knows your kids do!" The youth's eye looked down to the proffered notes but didn't reach for them. Sighing, he tried again. "If you want call it repaying a debt."  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"The night in the hospital with Angelus."  
  
"Okay," Xander took the money with a nod. "Thanks. Angel, why did you stop anyway? We both know you would have torn me apart."  
  
Angel nodded. "He would have," he admitted. "But he also knew that all those security would have run in to stop me-."  
  
"They couldn't-."  
  
"No they couldn't," he agreed. "But they might have given Buffy enough time to get away, and him killing you might have ended any conflict she had about killing him." Angel sighed. "At heart, any vampire, any demon is a coward. The soul gives a human the choice of being brave or not. Angelus had killed four Slayers in his time, but Buffy and Faith, are different, less constrained by Council doctrine. Either of them could take him." He turned to the door.  
  
"Angel," he turned back to see the young man, a pensive look on his face, after taking a breath the male Scooby spoke. "Thanks for jumping in front of the bullets last night."  
  
Angel smiled thinly, for a pair of innocents it hadn't even be a second's thought. "Forget it."  
  
Xander shook his head. "There's some things you can't forget. I can't believe I'm doing this," he was surprised when the one-eyed man held out a hand. "Fresh start?"  
  
A smile on his face, he took the hand. "Fresh start," he agreed.

* * *

Faith beamed as she glanced around the crowded mid-afternoon mall, she was having the best time. When she'd been a Boston Southie she'd never been a mall girl, never having the money or the friends to go with, responsible parents didn't want their kids hanging out with a junkie whore's daughter. She just hoped she would judge people by who they were and not who their family were. When she'd had gone to the mall, she'd always been on edge, either from having to shop-lift or knowing she'd have to put out in exchange for the food and stuff she'd been bought.  
  
But this, this was different. She had money to spend, and her babies to spend it on. The look of excitement on their faces were so sweet she had to fight back tears of joy.  
  
The only downer, the only slight shadow, was Xander. He joked with their companion, Dawn, and the way he was with their kids, he was going to make a great dad, but her, her he barely spoke to. "Give it time," she muttered. Once he realised she'd changed, he'd give her a chance. And it wasn't like he didn't have a right to hate her after what she'd done to him. "Mommy!"  
  
Turning, she crouched down beside Lex and kissed him on his forehead. "What's the sitch little guy?"  
  
"Daddy said we could go for pizza if you wanted. What you think?"  
  
"How could I," she lifted her son up, cradling him in her arm and resting his head on her shoulder. "Say no to those eyes?" Your daddy's eyes, she was surprised to find herself adding mentally before stopping. What the fuck, she couldn't be developing feelings for him could she? He hated her even more than she'd hated B when she'd come out of the coma. Faith groaned, 'cause her life wasn't complicated enough.  
  
"What's wrong mommy?"  
  
She smiled at the concern in her son's voice. "Nothing baby," she lied. "Just you mentioning food reminded how hungry I am. Now where are the others?" Her eyes narrowed as she noticed a familiar figure in the distance, and then blinked as it disappeared. Must have been her imagination.

* * *

"Faith, can I speak to you for a minute?"  
  
Faith glanced towards the Watcher standing by the hotel inner office. "Sure G."  
  
"Granpappy Giles!" Hoppy ran over to the Englishman. "I bought some new books today, fairy tales and everything! Will you read them to me!"  
  
"I've a better idea." She watched as the Englishman effortlessly scooped up her daughter. "Why don't you read them to me?"  
  
Faith hid a smile as her daughter pouted. "But I don't read many words Grandpa."  
  
"Then," the Englishman kissed Hope on the forehead. "We'll read together. How does that sound?"  
  
"You'll help me?"  
  
"But of course. It would be my honour."  
  
"You talk funny Grandpa."  
  
The Watcher chuckled. "So your father has frequently remarked. Now," Giles placed her daughter back on the floor. "Why don't you take your new things up to your room while I talk to your mother?"  
  
"Okay Grandpa," Hoppy nodded. "But you'll come up later?"  
  
The middle-aged man beamed. "Of course, how could I say no to the most beautiful little girl in the world." Once the others had disappeared, Giles turned to her. "They really are delightful."  
  
Faith felt a surge of pride at G's praise. No-one had ever called her delightful when she was a kid, she was always 'the brat' or 'the nusiance'. "Yeah, they're wicked."  
  
Giles winked at her. "If they're anything like their mother, positively devilish." The Englishman chuckled when she flipped him the finger. "Such manners from the mother of two young children why I do declare I see the fabric of American society dissolving before me."  
  
"Asshole."  
  
The Watcher winked before nodding towards the inner office door. "If you don't mind."  
  
"Sure G."  
  
Faith stiffened as she walked over the office threshold and saw Wesley sat behind the desk. "Uh uh, a Watcher double-team," she joked to hide her apprehension. Next to Xander, being around Wes made her more nervous than any of the others, partially because she'd hurt him the most, taken him apart piece by piece and revelled in it, her most calculatingly evil act. And also because of the changes in him, if she ever went bad again she knew that while the others were agonising about what to do, good old reliable Wes would be setting up a sniper rifle to blow her pretty little head off.  
  
"Faith," seeing Giles was indicating a chair opposite the younger Watcher she sat down but continued to look at the older Watcher, unwilling to meet Wes' eyes. "I've called you here to give you this. Please bear in mind it's dated for the 1st July when I officially gain the power to access council -."  
  
Faith looked down, her eyes widening as she realised she was holding a cheque for $ 250,000 made payable to her, Faith Wilkins. "W..what is this?" she managed to gasp.  
  
"You are of course aware of my decision to start paying the Slayers four thousand dollars a month?" she nodded numbly at G's words. "Well as you have been a Slayer since Apr '98, that represents your back-pay so to speak."  
  
Finally she found her voice. "Guys, I hate to break it to you but I spent more than three years of that time either evil, in a coma, or in prison."  
  
"We're well aware of that," Giles replied, his expression understanding. "However given the circumstances surrounding your fall and the fault on both sides, consider the money as a sort of compensation -."  
  
"But-." Faith began to protest.  
  
"In fact as your children's grandfather I would have to insist," Giles overrode her. "What sort of responsible parent turns down a quarter of a million dollars?"  
  
Suddenly she had an idea. "Split the money," she bargained. "Put it half and half in two accounts for them for when they're eighteen, sort of a college fund." Her babies were going to college, they were both wicked smart.  
  
Giles beamed. "What a splendid idea. I'll get the paperwork drawn up as soon our current situation is cleared up."  
  
"Thanks G," Faith nodded. The two Watchers rose. Licking her lips, she spoke, relieved that she couldn't hear any sign of nervousness in her voice. "Wes, can I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
The two Englishman exchanged a glance. After a few seconds Wesley nodded. "Certainly." Once G had left Wes spoke. "Well?"  
  
It took her a while but finally Faith found her voice. "I'm sorry."  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
Gathering her courage, Faith spoke, the words bubbling out like a torrent. "For that day I tortured you, what I did..." Her voice trailed off as she flashed back to that day, her ears filling with Wes' pained gasps, he hadn't begged but he'd been unable to keep the pain inside, her nose filled with the stench of Wes' blood and sweat, and her eyes were filled with images of the wounds she'd caused. Suddenly she was shaking, bile choking her.  
  
"Now there," she was surprised to feel a pair of strong hands on her shoulders. "There's no need for this. And as your Watcher I forbid it."  
  
She giggled slightly at Wes' mock-severe tone. "This girl's not too good at taking orders."  
  
"Really?" the Watcher chuckled. "I hadn't noticed. I quite pity Xander, two mini-Faiths and the genuine article. I doubt the poor lad as a clue what he's let himself in for."  
  
The remark was meant as a joke but Faith flinched nonetheless. At least X wouldn't have to worry about his kids trying to kill him. "Faith, if I offended you?"  
  
She shook her head and began to stand. "Nothing Wes, gotta jet-."  
  
"Bloody sit down!"  
  
She flinched at the hard note in the Englishman's tone and before she knew it she was sat down again. "Faith," the Englishman's tone had softened. "You know I didn't help you with the Council hit-team for you don't you?"  
  
Faith nodded. "You did it for Angel." Why the fuck would he want to help her?  
  
Wesley confirmed her suspicion with a nod. "Correct. He believed there was good in you, that you deserved a chance at redemption. Just as," the Watcher smiled crookedly. "He'd assisted me in a slightly different way. I had a debt to pay to a man I respected immensely and endeavoured to pay it. And," the Englishman paused. "Found that despite my misgivings he was correct. Faith, you have done terrible evil in your time," she grimaced. "And you should never forget that. But you should also remember the changes you've made, the good you've done, and be proud of that. The time to continue punishing yourself is long gone."  
  
After a second Faith nodded and smiled. "Thanks Wes." If only Xander could see things that way.

* * *

"So we're agreed, Wolfe has to die?"  
  
While both Xander and Angel agreed to Giles' question, Wesley hesitated. He thought about the scared girl who'd wanted nothing more than to have a friend, who instead he'd treated as nothing more than a tool. He thought of the evil he'd done for far less cause, setting the Council on Faith instead of trying with her, kidnapping Connor, imprisoning Justine, unleashing Angelus, and sleeping with Lilah. He'd done so much evil, unthinking or otherwise, it was time to redress the balance a little. "I don't have a problem with that." Killing an evil man to protect a girl he'd failed in the past and her children – it wasn't even a choice.

* * *

"Do you think Uncle Lorne will sing to us Auntie Rona?"  
  
Rona grinned down at the little girl sat on her lap. It amazed her that a hell raiser like Faith could produce such a sweet little angel as Hope. "I tell you what," she replied. "Why don't I sing you a song myself?"  
  
Hope's eyes widened. "That's be wicked Auntie Rona!"  
  
"Okay," after clearing her throat she began singing 'You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Born Woman'.  
  
After a few seconds the door swung open and Lorne walked in, his face split into two by a beaming smile. "Now Aretha's got comp-," suddenly the demon's face fell. "Girls! Get out of here now!"


	13. 13

Actions & Consequences (13/?)  
  
He smiled as he heard the little girl ask the female warrior if Lorne would sing for them. He hoped the green-skinned demon would, he'd always found a sort of peace when Lorne sang. His brow furrowed as an unpleasant and very familiar smell reached his nose. "Vampires," he growled deep in his throat. They wouldn't be allowed to hurt the children. Turning, he leapt from the fire escape to the ground below. It was time for The Destroyer to hunt again.

* * *

"How sure are you that these tunnels lead to Wolfram & Hart?"  
  
Wesley fought back the urge to slap Xander for repeating the question for what seemed like the hundredth time. "They did when Lillah told me about them six months ago," he replied with a patience that was rapidly running out.  
  
"Right," the youth nodded, "but they've changed bosses since then. On account of the fact of the last bosses being killed?"  
  
Wesley bit back a groan. Why couldn't he have been assigned to one of the other teams. Oh yes, that was it, his special relationship with Lillah. Oh joy, the liaison that just kept on giving. "Xander," Giles' tired tone indicated his fellow country-man was growing as frustrated with the conversation as he was, "this is the best lead we have. After all, only Angel has an eternity to spare."  
  
Finally the youth sighed. "Sorry, just wigged out about my kids."  
  
Giles nodded and squeezed the Scooby's shoulder. "I quite understand son. Now," Giles smiled coldly, "it's time to do a good deed and thin a few lawyers from the herd." The new Council head turned to Angel. "Angel, the grille?"

* * *

"Are you a follower of Quart's theory of Magic?" Kennedy heard Fred ask Willow, the two women just ahead of her.  
  
Willow shook her head. "No," her girlfriend replied, "I believe in the teachings of Jonas."  
  
"Oh but wasn't he disproved by Letish in the 700s?"  
  
"Ah," Willow trilled back, "there's an interesting story about that!"  
  
Kennedy fought back at a sigh, she doubted the story was very interesting at all. She loved Willow with all her heart but put her together with another nerd and things went downhill fast. Her eyes widened as Fred suddenly twisted to one side, raised her pistol crossbow and fired. A second later there was a cry and the sound of exploding dust. "Lordy but I hate vampires," Fred stopped for a second, "except for Angel of course," she babbled, "not only 'cause he's got a soul and all, but also because he's my boss and he saved me from Pylea. You know when we got back from Pylea I had this giant crush on him for the longest time, he's so -."  
  
"I get the idea Fred," Willow interrupted. Kennedy hid a grin, maybe there was more to the shy Texan than first appeared.

* * *

"Girl likes her work don't she?" Gunn commented, his eyes widening as Faith lifted a fur-covered demon about six times her weight and threw it into the far wall, the demon's bones crunching on impact. In the two minutes since they'd entered, Faith had dusted six vampires, decapitated three demons, and injured another ten. All making him feel very redundant.  
  
Beside him Buffy nodded. "Faith takes a pride in her wo-," suddenly the blonde grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to the ground, just as another demon hurtled through the air above them. "Faith!" the blonde screamed angrily. "That nearly hit us!"  
  
The curvy brunette looked over her shoulder and winked cockily. "Just giving you a head's up B," the Slayer smirked, "head's up, get it B?"  
  
"Very funny," Buffy replied, her face tight, "he's getting away."  
  
Faith glanced towards the bartender heading towards the back door. "You sure about that B?" grabbing a ball from a near-by pool table she flung it into the back of the bartender's head, he dropped soundlessly to the floor. "Looks like he's going no-where to me."  
  
"Always with the smugness," Buffy muttered as she pulled herself and Gunn to their feet, "you could have left some for me."  
  
Faith's face darkened. "Don't like people threatening my babies."  
  
"Count me off baby-sitting duties," Gunn muttered under his breath. He preferred saving the world to that particular terrifying responsibility, he so didn't want to be charge of the kids when something went wrong. "Shall we ask our questions?" he asked in a louder voice.  
  
"Gunn," Faith beamed, "I like you, you're plan guy."

* * *

"So what's the plan?" Xander whispered. Not there was much point, he was sure that anyone in the vicinity would be able to hear his pounding heart.  
  
"Plan is you and Giles follow Wes up to Wolfe's office while I create a decoy," Angel muttered.  
  
"That's it?" Xander's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're hardly Eisenhower are you?"  
  
Angel shrugged. "We're sort of working on the fly here Xander."  
  
"Fine," Xander groaned. "Lead on Wesley."  
  
"I beg your pardon," Wesley commented, "I though it was lead on MacDuff."  
  
"Two English comics," Xander muttered, "why couldn't I get the Two Ronnies? Oh no, I ended up with Giles and Pryce."

* * *

"Blood Brotherhood?" the man gasped on account of Faith's shapely knee crushing his larynx. Gunn watched her work with interest and more than a little queasiness, he was just glad he hadn't been around when she'd gone bad because if this was her when she was good.... "I don't know no Blood Brotherhood."  
  
"Okay," Faith nodded before grabbing hold of the nose the Slayer had broken when the man had attempted to pull a knife and twisting. The man screamed. "Then let's try the Apocalypse Foundation."  
  
"Hear rumours they've hired some mercs but I don't know who or why."  
  
"See," Faith beamed before giving the man a friendly slap across his face, "now you're getting the idea. I knew you couldn't be as dumb as you looked even after pulling that knife on me. You see," the girl leaned down and whispered conspiratorially, "I have 'faith' in people. Buffy here," the man's eyes widened at the naming of the legendary blonde Slayer, "thought you were too dumb to talk. Although," the Bostonian shook her head, "it wasn't very smart trying to play the tough guy was it, not with a roomful of Slayers? Now one last question – you heard anything about a gang calling themselves the Kalian Order?"  
  
"There's a mob in some offices down Mercer Avenue, moved there about ten months ago -."  
  
"About the time Wood," Gunn noted Faith's slight flinch at Buffy's mention of the brunette's treacherous ex-boyfriend, "turned up in Sunnydale. It fits."  
  
Faith nodded, all semblance of humour leaving her face. Man, Gunn just hoped that one of them got to Wood before Faith, they'd just kill him, she'd dissect the bastard – not that he didn't deserve it, but he shouldn't be the scumbag that pulled Faith back into the darkness she'd crawled out of. "The address?" she snapped.

* * *

Rona looked up at the demon, confusion warring with suspicion, she didn't care what Bufy said, in her book a demon was a demon, no distinction. "What's up?"  
  
"No time!" Lorne babbled. "We're in more trouble than David Gest at a Liza Minnelli fan convention! We've got to leave -."  
  
Suddenly the window behind her shattered and a black-suited intruder rappelled in. Instantly Rona threw Hope to Lorne. "Get them out!"  
  
Spinning round, she snatched at the soldier's sub-machine, directing its muzzle to the ceiling before slamming a right into his throat and a knee into his groin. The thug dropped soundlessly to the ground.  
  
Seeing the room filling with more soldiers, she leapt into the air, grabbed onto the room's light fitting and somersaulted behind the troops, her feet crashing into the heads of two as she did so. Even as a third turned towards her, she snapped out a heel, shattering the man's knee. Seeing another's gun raise towards her, she dived for the balcony only for her head to explode in pain and then nothing.

* * *

Angel smiled as he looked down through the air vent grille and to the three suited security guards watching the CCTV system. It made for the perfect diversion, not only would an attack here alert every security guard in the building, thus drawing them from their posts, it also gave him a chance to destroy the entire video surveillance system giving Wes and the others a free run at finding and dealing with Wolfe. Angel's expression soured, he just wished it could be him doing the deed, Wes and Giles had too much blood on their hands already, and Xander shouldn't be corrupted in such a manner. Shaking his malaise away, Angel leapt through the grille. "Showtime!"  
  
Landing behind the three guards, he grabbed the nearest by the back of his head and drove him face-first into the control panel, splattering blood all over the desk, the next he grabbed by his collar and belt, and flung into the wall of monitors. The third he simply head-butted into unconsciousness. A grin on his face, he reached under the desk and pressed the alarm before climbing up onto the ceiling. "Hope they hurry," he muttered. "I forgot to set the video for Friends."

* * *

"Uncle Lorne, what's happening!" Lex cried.  
  
"I don't know sweet pea!" Lorne replied, struggling to keep his voice calm for the children. The terrible images he'd seen, those two sweet girls murdered, well nothing, he glanced down at the children tucked under his arms, was going to happen to them. Faith had suffered too much in her young life, nobody was taking her children away from her. And that Xander seemed liked a fine young man. "But don't worry," he gasped through wheezing lungs. "Uncle Lor-."  
  
A man stepped out of the shadows, raised a pistol and fired. The bullet slammed into his upper chest, tearing through flesh and bone and sending him crashing to the ground. His last thought before he passed out was he'd failed to protect the children.  
  
"Uncle Lorne!" Lex screamed in shock as he hit the floor beside the singing demon, the hole in his chest seeming crater-sized. People were always dying around him and his sister – their first parents, then Auntie Rona and Auntie Vi, and now Uncle Lorne. Screaming his anger he jumped up and ran at the naughty man who'd shot his uncle.  
  
The man laughed scarily before smashing the side of his gun into his head. His head swimming with pain, he fell to the floor.

* * *

"Don't hurt them," Trent instructed as he stepped out of the shadows, barely able to prevent a well-earned smirk from surfacing. Everything had gone swimmingly. An hour ago their surveillance team had informed them that three groups of people had left the hotel, leaving the children with only minimal protection. Not very smart. He'd expected better of the renowned Rupert Giles.  
  
Still, the two Slayers they'd left behind had accounted for seven of his men between them. Newly called too, if they'd had a chance to be seasoned they could have been truly fearsome. He chuckled, but they wouldn't get the chance now.  
  
"My mommy's gonna get you!"  
  
He smiled at the young girl's threat. "Oh I do so hope Faith comes to call," he smiled at the thought of getting his hands on the beautiful brunette. He'd never had a jailbird before – there was a delicious seediness to the idea. His smile faded, time for pleasure later. "Bring them out to the car."

* * *

Wolfe looked up as his office door flew open under a heavy kick and a trio of men strode in. He recognised them all from their extensive files. The oldest of the three was Rupert 'Ripper' Giles, new Council head and former black arts mage that W&H's London branch had considered recruiting in the mid seventies, Wesley Whyndham-Pryce, Angel's right-hand man, and Xander Harris, friend and confidante to Buffy Summers and the father of the Kalian prophecy children. Heart racing, he lunged for his desk alarm.  
  
"Oh I don't bloody think so!" He screamed as Pryce shoved a knife through his hand, pinning it to the desk. "Our friend Angel has your security distracted, they really have their hands full, it wouldn't be fair of you to distract them."  
  
"I have money," he babbled, more scared than he'd been in centuries. "Mr. Giles, the Watchers Council's Library was destroyed in the First's attack on you, I can replace every book you lost, and more. Mr. Harris," he turned to the stony-eyed father. "We have the best surgeons, healers that are normally available to our most exclusive clients. Healers that could have your eye back in a -."  
  
The youth's fist collided with his mouth, snapping his head back. "You think you can buy me off with an eye. You think I'd sell my kids down the river for a fucking eye?" the boy almost-snarled. At this point Wolfe could almost believe the story in the files about the young man once being possessed by a hyena, there was something animalistic about him. Wolfe's blood chilled as the youth reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gleaming hand-ax. He opened his mouth to protest.

* * *

Xander smiled at the terror in the lawyer's eyes, how many innocents had this bastard terrorised, before sending the ax slicing through the man's neck, his blood splattering the window behind. Next he pulled out a zippo and set the now decapitated corpse on fire. "No resurrection for you," he muttered.  
  
"Damn it Xander!" Giles spun him round to face him, the Englishman's face furious. "I've killed before, you shouldn't have done this!"  
  
"My children, my responsibility," he replied before turning to a strangely expressionless Wesley. The younger Watcher had changed, back in Sunnydale he'd have been throwing up. "You best call Angel."

* * *

"Get them in the car," Trent ordered. Soon, his organisation would be the most powerful in the occult world.  
  
"I'd rather they came with me," a strong voice intoned in his left ear. Trent opened his mouth to scream as a hand grabbed his throat and his neck erupted in pain but only a croak escaped.

* * *

Lord Pain beamed as he dropped the corpse, his fangs dripping blood onto the cold pavement. He looked around to find the corpses of the special forces soldiers similarly littering the pavement. It had been most fortunate, the other group arriving and dealing with the Slayers for them. A smile on his face, he turned to his minions holding the children. "Load them into the van."  
  
"You can't have them."  
  
Lord Pain turned to see a scrawny male teen stood in the alleyway behind his men, holding a pair of stakes. Pain's brow furrowed in puzzlement. He didn't know this youth, hadn't seen him with Angelus' group. "And who might you be?"  
  
"Connor, son of Angelus and Darla," the boy's eyes shone with an untameable ferocity. "You can't have them." 


	14. 14

**FIC: Actions & Consequences (14/19)**

Lord Pain beamed. First the Slayer's children and now Angelus' get. Oh this was a day to remember. He could just see Angelus' face when showed the traitor his son's flayed body. Oh the pain, he could almost taste it. He nodded to Klaus. "Bring him to me."

Klaus lunged towards the youth. Pain's mouth dropped open when the boy slid beneath the attack, grabbed the centuries-old vampire's right arm at the wrist and elbow and twisted it back, the snapping bones sounding like gunfire.

Even as Klaus' mouth opened in a scream, Connor's fist slammed into it, cracking yet more bone. Klaus swung a right, but the teen ducked beneath it before crashing a right of his own into the demon's throat. Klaus stumbled backwards but the boy was unstoppable, his movements a whirlwind as he rocked the demon with a dozen or so blows in the space of a couple of seconds before thrusting a stake deep into the German vampire's chest. Connor grinned at him through the dust. "Who's next?"

Pain blinked. Obviously the son had somehow inherited his mother and father's powers, and yet was apparently a living, breathing human. Interesting. But the children were the priority. "Sergi, take them to the car. The rest of you," he glanced at the six minions he'd brought with him, it was lucky he had others back at base, "kill him."

* * *

"No!" Connor bellowed his fury as he watched the children be dragged away. What sort of coward didn't fight his own battles? It was dishonourable.

Lips parting in a snarl, he leapt into the air and into a somersault that resulted in him landing behind the advancing demons. Even as they started to turn to face him, he'd already rammed his stake into one of their chest and executed a flawless standing spin kick to the face that sent a second crashing to the ground.

Sensing another demon behind him, he flung his left foot out in a back heel kick. The vampire grabbed his foot. "Too slow boy," his target growled

Connor grinned. "You think?" Using his trapped foot as leverage, he leapt into the cold night air, spun around to face his opponent and slammed his stake into his adversary's heart. "Seemed plenty fast to me," he crowed.

Even as he landed, he felt a hand grab him by the throat and attempt to fling him backwards. Normally he would have retained his flawless balance - except for stumbling over the vampire he'd previously knocked to the ground. As soon as he hit the ground Connor tried to jump back up but one of the vampires swept his legs from beneath him, knocking him back down. 

In a second all four of the remaining vampires were kicking at him. Connor covered up, wincing slightly at the impact of the blows reigning down on him. Finally he saw an opening, hooking one of the vampires' feet in his arm, he yanked, knocking the vampire off-balance and into one of his fellow demons. Taking advantage of the respite, he rose to his knees, grabbed an in-swinging foot and flung his attacker into the last of the demons assaulting him.

Rising, he cannoned a side heel kick into the nearest vampire's chest, knocking his rival onto the rubbish-strewn ground. Scooping up his stake he dropped onto one knee over the monster and slammed his stake home. Hearing a foot swinging to his head, he leaned away from the attack, snatched hold of the foot and twisted, grinning slightly at the demon's howl.

His amusement died when a pair of hands grabbed him by his shoulder and propelled him into the far wall, the back of his head smashing into the concrete. Ignoring the stars circling his head, Connor spun away from the monster's follow-up lunge, slamming a heel into its knee, propelling the vampire to the ground. Before the demon got any further up than on its hands and knees, he thrust his stake through its back.

A plank of wood shattered against his head, knocking him down onto his side, his head colliding with the hard road. Looking up, he threw his stake, javelin-style, into his assailant's heart. The vampire's mouth opened in shock a second before he exploded in dust.

Before he had chance to rise, the last vampire was on him, choking the life from him. In his weakened and dazed state his attempts to escape were ineffectual. Soon his vision began to darken. "First the son," his attacker crowed. "And then the father."

"Nobody's killing anyone," came a voice from behind the demon. "Well except you." Suddenly the vampire exploded into dust. Connor looked up to see, a heavily wounded Lorne leaning up against the wall, crossbow in hand and blood seeping down his brightly coloured shirt. "Hey kiddo, does daddy know you're home?"

"Lorne!" leaping up he caught his father's friend as the demon pitched forward. "Are you alright?"

The demon coughed up blood before replying. "Now if that ain't the dumbest question I've heard this millennia," Lorne coughed again. "I'll be fine, dumbasses didn't know Pyleans hearts are in their asses. Just blood loss." Lorne's eyes grew concerned. "The kids?"

"Vampires got 'em."

Lorne snarled, the uncharacteristic sound making Connor blink. "Never let anyone tell you life's fair kiddo, 'cause it isn't. Bad things happen to good people. Now get me inside."

* * *

"Connor!" Angel's elation at seeing his son was dampened by the desolate look on Buffy's face and the tears streaming down Willow as her girlfriend held her. His eyes widened as he noted the heavy bandaging around Lorne's chest. He growled deep in his throat, his patience was fast running with his boy, if he'd hurt his friends again.... "What happened?"

"The Blood Brotherhood happened. Somebody," Gunn entered from the inner office, "we figure the Foundation attempted a hit, killed Rona and Vi," Angel winced. More deaths. "And snatched the kids. They got outside, the Blood Brotherhood grabbed them. Connor tried to stop them, killed seven-."

"Six, Lorne killed one," his son interjected. 

"Why?" Angel demanded.

Connor looked up at him, his face strained. "Families should be together."

Angel nodded, he didn't have any argument with that statement. "Where's Faith?"

"She went up to her room," Willow replied, her voice trembling.

They'd let her go on her own? Angel opened his mouth to remonstrate with Buffy and Willow for their thoughtlessness. "And you just let her!" he turned to see a cold-eyed Xander, his skin ashen grey, and his face tight with grief. "She could be doing anything up there!" Xander moved towards the stairwell.

Angel blocked the one-eyed man's path. "Xander," he kept his tone soft. "Maybe you're not the best person to be doing this."

The other man's gaze was unflinching. "My kids too," Xander's voice was husky with pain. "I can't think of anyone better." After a second he nodded and stepped aside. "Thanks." Xander moved to the bottom of the stairway. "Go see your son. Make it up to him Angel." Angel looked towards Connor, yeah that was a good idea.

* * *

Faith stared at the teddy bears resting on the bed, tears streaming down her face. They were only small brown teddies, with red silk ribbons around their neck and the cutest white feet, but she remembered when she was the same age as Lex and Hoppy always wanting a teddy but never getting one. When she saw the matching teddies in the shop she'd bought them immediately 'cause her babies were going to have everything she hadn't. But now they were gone, and their teddies were still here. It wasn't right, they should have their teddies.

She tensed as she felt a pair of arms envelop her from behind. "Hey super-tough Slayer," a voice whispered in her ear, "what you crying for? We'll get them back."

Faith jolted with surprise. If anyone came up to comfort her, she'd have figured it to be Angel or maybe one of the Watchers. But Xander? "Y..you promise?" her tough-bitch facade crumbled before her fears.

"You're joking right? Between you, Deadboy, and Buff you must have thwarted what twenty – thirty apocalypses. Some minor-leaguer isn't going to get away with kidnapping our babies."

"Tell me about our life together," she pleaded. "Tell me about all the things we're going to do, me, you, and our babies."

"Uh okay," Xander tensed slightly when she turned to face him, pulling him into a hug, resting her head against his chest. "I figure we'll get a house in the suburbs, somewhere quiet where they've never heard of vampires or Slayers, with plenty of open spaces and parks. Three bedrooms, one for the kids, and one each for us."

"Sounds nice," Faith muttered. "What about Christmas? We'll decorate and give them tons of stuff right? Really spoil them?"

"Yeah," Xander smiled softly, she'd never realised how kind his face looked before, before he'd just been the fool-hardy geek. "And in the summer we'll spend the whole school vacation touring the theme parks – Disneyworld, Disneyland, Magic Mountain, making sure our kids have fun. That sound good?"  
  
Faith nodded. "It sounds real good Xander." But it wouldn't happen, good things never happened to her, she was a bad person who didn't deserve good things. But her babies, they'd never hurt anyone. Slowly anger began to replace fear, nobody was going to hurt her babies. "Let's go down," she whispered.

* * *

Angel stared at Connor for an eternity. He twitched at a touch on his elbow. "Wesley has told me much of what occurred between him, you, and Connor," Giles muttered. "Your son is a true miracle, I'm sure Cordelia wouldn't want you to waste your second chance, talk to him."

Angel swallowed before nodding. "Connor," his voice sounded strained even to his own ears. "Can we talk in the inner office?" His son looked at him for what seemed an eternity before nodding, rising, and following him through. He gestured to the seat. "Sit down." After his son had obeyed he continued. "Thanks for trying to -," his voice trailed off. "Just why were you here anyway?" Connor shrugged, his face uncomfortable. "Connor?"

"Last night, I came to kill you." Angel blinked, that wasn't especially a surprise but still disappointing. "But I saw the children and heard that they were being threatened." Connor stopped, his face confused. "It isn't right, people threatening children. They should be with their parents, protected. I decided I had to defend them but failed."

"Son," Angel squeezed the youth's shoulder. "You killed six demons trying to save them. That's a good effort and we'll get them back."

"Do you think Faith will be pleased with my efforts?"

Angel bit back the urge to groan at Connor's hopeful expression. When his boy got crushes bad things happened – reappearance of ancient evils, city wide devastation, that sort of thing. And Liam had thought a dose of the clap was bad. After uttering a silent prayer that he was wrong, he summonsed the courage to ask the question. "Why do you ask?"

Connor's reddening face confirmed his suspicions. "Faith is a beautiful and mighty warrior, she would be a worthy mate."

Faith as a daughter-in-law, Angel shuddered at the thought. And he thought his family was dysfunctional before. For a few seconds he struggled for words. "Son, I don't think Faith's thinking much beyond her children at this moment."

"The children must always be a mother's priority," Connor nodded slowly. "What of the one-eyed man who went up to see Faith? If I wish to win her hand must I challenge him?"

Oh where was the nearest wall to bang his head against? Angel had a feeling he just wasn't getting through. "You remember Faith beat you when she was here?" Connor nodded slowly, his eyes filling with admiration. "Well," he pointed out of the office window, towards Buffy. "See that blonde there? She's perhaps the only person in the world who can beat Faith in a fight, and those girls around her are all Slayers like Faith and Buffy. And if you laid a finger on Xander, they'd take turns ripping you apart."

Scorn filled Connor's eyes. "Is he not a coward to hide behind women?"

Angel fought back the urge to laugh at his son's words. Coward was not a word he'd use to describe Xander, congenital idiot maybe. "You remember Willow ensouling me?" he pointed at the weeping red-head.

Connor nodded slowly. "She has great power."

That was an understatement if Angel had ever heard one. "Last year, a man killed her love. Willow went insane, Buffy couldn't stop her, Willow was going to end the world, but Xander stopped her."

After a second his son bowed his head. "He is worthy of her, I will not contest my claim."

"Thank god," Connor looked up at his comment. He grinned at his son. "Somehow I doubt Darla would approve of her son being with a Slayer." Connor smiled uncertainly, perhaps sensing but not understanding he'd made a joke. "Son," Angel turned serious. "Faith is one of my dearest friends, but she is a lot more experienced in life than you," that was a delicate way of putting it. "Maybe you need to consider girls your own age, learn more about the world today, not the world Holtz told you about."

After a second Connor nodded. "I guess that makes -."

"Fang, we're planning what happens next. You in?" 

Angel's blood froze as he glanced towards the raven-haired Bostonian stood in the office doorway. The last time he'd seen that intense of a look in her eyes had been three years ago when he'd rescued Wesley from her clutches and she'd tried to kill him. It was almost enough to make him feel sorry for Pain. Almost. "I'm in. Connor?"

His boy stared dazedly at Faith for a second before replying. "I'm in."

Faith nodded. "Thanks. Shall we?"

He grabbed his son as he started to follow the Slayer out. "After this is over I'd like to try again," he pleaded.

His heart leapt at Connor's reply. "I'd like that too. Family's important." 


	15. 15

**Actions & Consequences (15/19)**

"No way!" Xander glared at him. "No fucking way!"

Angel resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. It was safe to say that Xander wasn't happy. He opened his mouth to try and persuade the young man only for his ex to put both feet in it – as usual. "Xander, we're only trying to keep you safe-."

"SAFE!" Xander's glare switched from him to Buffy in an instant. "I've had seven years of you trying to keep me safe and where has it got me?" suddenly Buffy was paling and backing away from her friend. Angel winced as the young man flipped up his eyepatch to reveal the hideous scarring beneath. "One eyed and girl-friendless! And what about my children? They're not safe!" Just as suddenly as the young man's rage had erupted it evaporated. "They're not safe." Suddenly Xander looked completely and utterly lost. 

Angel saw Willow start towards Xander and moved forward himself. After all who else could better understand what Xander was going through?

Except a pale-faced Faith who grabbed Xander's elbow, whispered something in his ear, and guided him into the inner office. Buffy and Willow started after the pair, he glanced at Wesley beside him and nodded. Together, they stepped in the Slayer and Witch's path. "I believe they need to be alone, Miss Summers," Angel hid a grin at Wes' snooty tone, after all these years the former Watcher still had no idea how that English 'tea and crumpets' tone irritated the hell out of many Americans. Or maybe he did and just couldn't give a shit. 

"But," Willow attempted to protest.

"Willow," he smiled down at the red-head, sometimes it was hard to believe just how powerful she was. "Give her a chance to get through to him, please?"

"FINE!" he could tell from the look in Buffy's eyes she was far from happy. He was suddenly very happy she was still cookie dough.

* * *

"X," Faith forced her voice to remain steady. "I know it's hard but you need to calm down, we both do-."

"Yeah 'cause we all know what happens when Slayers lose it don't we-," she flinched at the Sunnydaler's words. Xander's face fell. "Faith, I'm sorry I didn't mean to..." the man's voice trailed off.

Anxious to press the advantage the man's contrition gave her, she squeezed his hand. "It's five by five X, but I think you should give Fang's plan a chance," seeing the male Scooby's remaining eye flash, she hurried on to head off another explosion. "Xman it makes sense. According to what Red's spells have found out there's close to forty of them, there's six Slayers, one Wicca, Fang, and Connor, whatever the hell he is. We can't carry mortals into this one Xan." Again she hurried on at his opening mouth. "Besides, it's only gonna be G, Wes, and Gunn going after Wood's gang, they need extra muscle. And if we split up that doubles the chance of at least one of us making it out alive to look after our babies. They can't lose both of us."

After Xander nodded, his expression grudging. "Fine." The man turned to leave, she grabbed his sleeve.

"X, if I die," she swallowed. "You will tell our babies that I always loved them won't you? Even though I gave them away that I never forgot them?" 

"I'll tell them that they had a beautiful mother who was brave and loved them very much, okay?" she nodded mutely, turning away to hide the tears burning her eyes. God, they had to be alright, they just had to be.

"X," she grabbed the man's arm as he moved to the office door. "If anything happens to you, I'll tell 'em that their daddy was the bravest and kindest man I ever knew and that they were real lucky that he was their pa and not some no-account loser." Given the number of no-account losers she'd 'known', real lucky.

Xander smiled slightly. "Thanks Faith, but it isn't going to matter because we're both going to make it out of there, right?"

Faith grinned, enjoying the fact that she was finally connecting with Xander, if only slightly. "Damn straight."

* * *

"Just you wait!" Lex screamed through the bars of the cell he and his sister were prisoner in. "When my mummy comes you'll be sorry!"

"Yeah!" Hope screamed in tandem beside him. "My daddy and all his friends are coming too! You're in big trouble!"

The vampire stood at the other side of the prison door growled at them. "Shut up you little shits!"

"No! You shut up you," for a second Lex struggled for a word to say then he had it, his mommy had said it this morning, "you fuck!"

Hope giggled at his language. "You're a stinky poop!"

The vampire growled. "I ought to rip your damn heads off."

"Touch them and you'll regret it." Lex moved back against the far wall, dragging his sister with him. That voice belonged to the vampire boss, he was real scary, even the other vampires were frightened of him. "Now children," the demon smiled through the cell door. "you're going to be good from now on aren't you?" Too scared to think of a smart reply, Lex nodded his head even as he clung to his whimpering sister's hand. The demon's smile widened. "There you go Andre, the carrot works much better than the stick. And Andre?"

"Yes boss."

"Hurt a hair on their head and I'll have to make an example of you, are we understood?"

Lex heard the other vampire swallow. "Yes boss."

The boss demon chuckled. "Always knew you were a smart boy Andre. I see real potential in you. Bye now children, be good."

It was a long time before either Lex or his sister taunted the guard again.

* * *

"Giles?"

Giles looked up to see his pale-faced son stood over him. Shoving the last of his equipment in his pack he straightened. "Yes son."

"W..w," Xander swallowed. "Why are my children so important?" 

Giles hid a sigh. He'd been dreading this question since this began. "Many rituals require a blood sacrifice, the rarer the blood, often the more powerful. Also creatures that drink blood, such as vampires often seek rarer blood, like a vintage. Such creatures prize a Slayer above all others, your children would be even more sought after. Then there's their destiny, according to the prophecy they are to be twined Slayers, warriors for good or evil, they could be very useful to organisation such as Wolfram & Hart."

Xander looked even more scared. "Even after today they're going to keep coming aren't they?"

"Xander," he squeezed his son's shoulder. "You're going to have the full resources of the Council to help you protect them. Okay?" his son nodded. Giles forced a smile. "Excellent, now I believe the others are waiting?"

* * *

"This the place?" Wesley nodded at his question. Xander gritted his teeth as he stared at the office block, one thing was for sure - either he or Wood weren't leaving this building alive. "Shall we go then?"

"Wait," Xander sighed impatiently as he turned to Giles. "Willow was good enough to download the building plans from the inter-thingy," he snorted at Giles' techno-babble. "Oh do shut up Xander," the Englishman huffed. "It appears the buildings on this business estate are all serviced by the same series of workmen's tunnels, I propose breaking into one of the near-by empty buildings and using the tunnels to get into the building."

Wesley nodded. "Most ingenious Mr. Giles. Xander?"

Xander jolted when he realised they were all looking to him for approval. "Yeah," he muttered. "I guess that works for me." Wood was going to understand what it meant to threaten his children.

* * *

"Hi guys." The moment the two vampires standing guard outside the magically located Brotherhood headquarters started to turn towards him, Angel's broadsword swung left and right, taking their heads from their shoulders. Seconds later only dust remained. "Coast's clear."

"To kill an enemy from behind is dishonourable," intoned Connor, his tone disapproving as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Ain't he quaint," Faith muttered half-heartedly, the smirk that usually accompanied her jibes missing, in its place was a thin hard line. "Lesson to you kid, in this game we don't get to worry about honour, that's for the innocents we protect. You wanna play with the big boys Con, learn to play by the big boys' rules. Otherwise..." 

"Otherwise what?" his son demanded, his face petulant.

"Don't plan on lasting long," Faith looked toward Willow. "All mojoed up Red?"

The Wicca nodded. "Door's unlocked," the witch reported. 

"Wicked." Faith stepped forward but he stepped in her path.

"Faith, I know you're anxious but we need to stay calm." He took an unneeded breath at the momentary flash in her eyes. "If we rush in there half-cocked we could ourselves or them hurt." Or killed, he added silently. 

After a second Faith took a heaving breath and nodded. "Five by five, big guy. You and nose boy," she nodded towards Connor, "gonna lead the way?"

"That's the plan," he confirmed. "Willow, keep your eyes out for any magical defences okay?" he smiled at the red-head's nod. He squeezed Faith's shoulder. "They'll be fine Faith."

* * *

"This the service exit?" Gunn muttered. He wondered if it was a symptom of hanging around with Angel for so long that he hardly noticed the sewer's stench any more. Although he still worried about the rats."It is," Wesley confirmed with a nod. "And I've done a spell that confirms there aren't any men in the basement above us, so, all we need now is to fashion a way in -." 

"In that case," the older of the two Englishman interrupted, a glint in his eyes convincing Gunn that the guy was nuts, not that he needed much convincing, not after some of the tales he heard recently, "it's lucky I brought this."

Gunn's eyes widened when the Englishman produced what looked like.... "Is that a bomb?" he croaked.

He cringed when the Watcher began juggling said object. "I prefer to call it an explosives device. Don't worry," the middle-aged man beamed at their increasingly ashen faces. "It's perfectly harmless without the detonator."

"H..how do you know to use explosives?" Xander gasped.

"During my wild phase I did a couple of works safes with a former army demolitions expert." Gunn's jaw hit the ground, Giles had done safes? "Shall we?"

In just a couple of minutes they were inside the basement, a cold dingy place with absolutely no redeeming features except for its emptiness. The older Englishman smiled. "Just the right amount, enough to 'blow the bloody doors off' as Michael Caine might say, but not enough to alert our hosts. Now Wesley, you go with Xan-," the Englishman's face fell. "Oh bollocks, where has that boy got to now?"

* * *

"Oh shit," Faith muttered, the blood draining from her face as she stared down on the sight beneath her. Connor's tracking skills had lead them to a cavernous underground chamber, the sides of which were lined with fifty or so vampires which made for crappy odds even by her shitty maths. Worse still, her heart caught, was the pentagram in the centre of the floor and the two side-by-side altars with her babies on them and the massive vampire stood between them intoning in some ancient mumbo-jumbo. Her lips bared in a snarl. "Pain."

But what really frightening, absolutely fucking terrifying was the eight foot, muscle-bound, red-skinned turok-hun with two curved horns sticking out of its forehead stood in the centre of the pentagram. "What the fuck is that?" she muttered


	16. 16

**Actions & Consequences (16/19)**

Xander smiled darkly as he felt the bracelet that Wood had given Faith heat up, a sure sign that the locater spell a heavily protesting Willow had put on it for him had worked. Sensing somebody ahead he stepped into the shadows and waited until the approaching figure drew with him before shooting out a fist and catching the unprepared man square in the throat. The guard's mouth opened in a scream, but in an instant he had his palm over his victim's mouth, muffling any sound. A half-second later and he'd driven his knee into the man's groin, grabbed him around the scruff of his neck and driven him headfirst into the wall. He watched dispassionately as the bleeding body slumped soundlessly to the ground, unconscious. "Woodie, you might be as bald as a cueball, but in a few minutes you're going to be screaming like a red-headed step-child."

* * *

"Il Primo Vampiro," Angel battled the demon inside him for control as he stared down at the monstrous demon beneath them.

"What is it?" Buffy demanded beside him.

Angel was unable to move his gaze from the terror stood below. "I recognise that from one of Wes' books, it's the pure-blood vampire that bit the last human before leaving this dimension. It's what vampires look like in their unadulterated form."

"Damn Fang," Faith muttered from the opposite side to Buffy, "who'd have thought someone as pretty as you on the outside could look so ugly under the skin?" Faith's voice turned business-like. "What's the 411 on big and ugly?" 

"He's strong, much stronger than even the Master and heals any wound in seconds." He heard Buffy's sharp intake of breath. "He also has huge hypnotic powers, Will, you'll have to block him."

"On it," the red-head whispered. 

"Stakes through the heart won't get it done. Fire, sunlight, and beheading are the only things that'll work. And even then, he's got more resistance than most to sunlight and beheading can only be done by a magical weapon."

"Lucky I bought the Scythe then," Buffy muttered.

Angel took an unneeded breath. Faith in particular wasn't going to like what he said next. "When we grab the kids, I'll have to help Connor get them out of here-."

"What!" Faith hissed. Even as he opened his mouth to explain, the raven-haired Bostonian pulled him round to face her. "You're going to just run out on us?"

Angel hid a wince at the look of pained betrayal in his protégée's soulful eyes. "Faith, being so near to Il Primo is making control of my demon hard. In the heat of battle I might snap."

After a second Faith nodded. "K, so what's the plan?"

* * *

Lord Pain cast a wary look at the still imprisoned demon stood snarling in the pentagram. He hadn't expected him to be quite that big. Looking down at the children tied on the altars flanking him, he smiled, but with their deaths, El Primo would be enthralled in servitude to him by rite of blood, and his age of supremacy over the vampire world would begin.

Chuckling slightly he spread his arms, raising his meat cleavers over the throats of the two quietly sobbing children. They had their parents' nerve he had to give them that, they hadn't broken down until Il Primo had arrived, but now it was time for them to die. 

"I don't think so," suddenly his elbows were grabbed from behind.

"Uncle Angel!" yelled the boy brat. 

Pain began turn towards his assailant only for his head to explode in pain when the Irish vampire smashed his forehead into his face, knocking him away from the children. "Connor!!" Angelus ducked under a meat cleaver aimed at his head and replied with a hook under his armpit. "Untie them and get out, I'll follow you in a moment!"

"You won't be following anyone!" Pain bellowed, his blood boiling. Already he could feel his control on Il Primo loosening. Soon, the demon would be free. He threw one of his cleavers at the younger vampire, but his adversary simply plucked the knife out of the air and flung it back at him. Cursing, he ducked, allowing the blade to fly over his shoulder and clatter into the wall behind him. He looked up in time to see the ensoulled vampire's heel an instant before it collided with his head, knocking him on his ass. Eyes gleaming golden, the younger vampire took a step towards him before scowling and disappearing after his son.

Confused as to why the Scourge hadn't followed up his advantage, he climbed to his feet and looked around. What he saw made him curse. Although heavily out-numbered, the Slayers that had accompanied Angelus and his spawn were cutting a swathe through his minions. Worse still, Il Primo was loosening from his metaphysical chains. All his work, his centuries of building the Brotherhood ruined. Angelus was going to pay. And those brats were going to be his playthings.

* * *

Andrew Lexington moved through the building's corridors, his heart pounding. Oh bugger, he was in trouble. Just five minutes ago those two human cohorts of Angel had broken into the place and started taking out his agents. If he got away he could re-group the Order....

His heart skipped a beat when a man stepped out of the shadows before him. "Now tell me," Rupert Giles demanded. "What sort of General runs out on his troops?"

Lexington swallowed, the Slayers might be infinitely more skilled than the Watcher, but he had little doubt who was the more ruthless. "Rupert, there are things you don't -."

He grunted as the younger man crashed a left hook into his face, shattering his orbital bone and knocking him to his knees. Before he had chance to rise, another blow to his temple knocked him on his back. A half second later, his fellow country-man had one knee across his chest, pinning him to the ground. "Bloody right there's stuff I don't understand," Giles' tone was cheerful, but Lexington couldn't miss the steel behind it. "Like how you betray the Council by acting as a double agent? How could you betray your Slayer's trust by brain-washing her child? And," his fellow Englishman's face darkened, "how could threaten two innocents, the father of whom is one of the finest people I have had the pleasure to know and their mother one of the bravest?"

"Rupert," Lexington wheezed. The weight on his chest close to unbearable. "The children don't have to be hurt. We can work something out where we have custody but the parents are -."

Suddenly the Watcher shook his head. "You know the questions I asked? I really don't think you have the answers I need, because I could never understand what makes a man like you tick." His eyes widened as the younger man pulled a knife out from inside his jacket. A second later there was only pain as Giles thrust the dagger through his throat.

* * *

"And for that," Giles dispassionately wiped his knife clean before returning it to its place inside his jacket, "I thank god." After checking the corpse for a pulse he nodded and stood. The unpleasant taste in his mouth and churning in his belly was worth it if it kept his grand-children safe, Lexington wouldn't have stopped coming. "Cut off a snake's head and it stops," he muttered.

* * *

Faith ducked beneath a clumsy right, coming up inside her assailant's guard with a stake to the heart. Despite the seriousness of the sitch, she couldn't help but smile. After the Turok-huns, taking down normal vamps was, feeling a hand on her shoulder, she drove her head backwards, spun around and staked, like shooting fish in a barrel. Even better she'd seen Fang grab her babies and get them out. If nothing else they were safe. Even if she didn't make it out, X would look after them.

Suddenly an ear-splitting howl tore through the air, momentarily causing a halt in hostilities. Faith's smirk withered and died as Il Primo turned towards her, her legs turning to jelly and her stomach hollowing in fear. If this was how the monster's whammy felt with Red up on the balcony blocking most of it, she was wicked glad the witch was here to stop them from being hit by its full power. "Come get some," she muttered through trembling lips.

"Always eager to get in on with the ugly." Faith's smile returned as Buffy stepped in beside her. "I'd have thought you'd have worked out a stricter admissions policy by now."

"Hey, I'm not the one with a record of humping things that go bump in the night," Faith pointed out.

"You know you're going to pay for that remark next training session?"

"All talk Summers, you always were," Faith's tone hardened. "We taking him down?"

"Let's."

Dropping her stake and drawing her broadsword in one smooth motion, Faith charged the beast's right side, Buffy did the same on the left. Sidestepping an uplifted knee that would have shattered her pretty little face, Faith thrust her sword into the beast's hip, even as she saw Buffy send the Scythe into the monster's side.

Faith's eyes widened when the creature's only response was to grunt and send a hard right cannoning into her forehead. Dazed, she only just managed to duck under the huge hand grabbing for her throat. "Fuck!" her mouth dropped when she realised that already the wounds that both her and Buffy had caused had healed. This was not of the good.

Quelling her fears, she leapt into a one-footed drop-kick that smashed into the demon's chest a half-second before his backhanded slap exploded against her jaw knocking her to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the monster's heel hurtling towards her face and rolled out of the way, even as she saw the giant vampire backhand her blonde counterpart into the far wall.

Groaning slightly at the pain moving caused her, Faith stood. In time to catch a foot to the stomach that flung her into the near wall. Head ringing, she saw that the monster was moving towards the exit Angel had used. "No fucking way," spitting out a mouthful of blood, she staggered into the monster's path. If it ended here it ended, but there was no way this bastard was getting her babies.

"Faith!"

Her eyes not shifting from the demonic juggernaut charging her, her hand flew up to grab the Scythe her sister Slayer had thrown to her. Faith grinned through the pain as she felt power from the Scythe race through her. Taking a breath, she stepped in front of the doorway. She'd only done one untainted thing her entire life and the only way this fucker was getting to her babies was over her hot little corpse. "You want some of this?" she began to twirl her weapon over her head. "Come get some!"

* * *

Xander grinned as the bracelet heated up some more. It was almost burning him, but more importantly it meant the bastard was near-. Suddenly a clubbing fist smashed into his face on his blind side, knocking him into the wall opposite. Turning, he caught a glimpse of Wood before his world exploded in pain as a foot slammed into his groin, sending him to his knees. "Just think," he heard the former principal's scornful voice through the wind roaring through his ears, "a beautiful girl like Faith could have chosen any man in the world to father her children –they'd be lining round the block for a chance with her." Xander groaned as a foot crashed into his ribs. "And instead she ended up dropping two brats to a loser like you. Women, not very bright are they? But then again Harris, neither are you."

* * *

Angel cursed under his breath as he hurried away from the battle. "Uncle Angel! That's a naughty word!" shouted a scandalised Hoppy.

"Mommy used that word yesterday," put in Lex. "Did you teach it her?"

Somehow he thought it was probably more likely he learnt it from her. "No I didn't," he replied, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. Inwardly though he seethed. He'd felt Angelus growing stronger and knew the act of killing Lord Pain would have cost him control. So he'd had to flee, leaving the bastard alive.

Suddenly he tensed. "Fu-, fungus," he amended what he'd been about to say before placing his precious cargo down, his eyes fixed warily on the shadows ahead. "Look kids I want you to go with Connor," he thumbed at his son stood behind them. 

Lex looked up at Connor. "Who the hell is he anyway?" the toddler demanded suspiciously.

Three years old and he was already talking like his mother. There was no hope. "He's my son," Angel explained, realising he should have done the introductions earlier. "And I trust him to look after you."

"Why can't you?" Hoppy pouted, her bottom lip quivering and tears forming in her eyes. 

"I rather think I'm the reason," Lord Pain stepped out of the shadows ahead, a vicious grin firmly in place.


	17. 17

**FIC: Actions & Consequences (17/19)**

Sensing Wood's foot coming in for another kick, Xander reached up, snatched a hold at the ankle and twisted savagely. The former principal grunted as he stumbled back into the wall. Taking advantage of the temporary respite, Xander leapt upwards, gritting his teeth against his body's painful protests at the sudden movement. "This ends now!"

* * *

"It is dishonourable for a warrior to run."

Angel resisted the temptation to roll his eyes at his son's pronouncement. Instead he kept his eyes on the smirking vampire in front of him, his tone even as he replied. "That's as maybe, but it's far more dishonourable for a warrior to leave the helpless unprotected."

There was a silence. "Very well, come children."

Lord Pain chuckled as the sound of Connor's feet receded into the distance. "Your son, the freak." Angel growled. "You know I'm going to hunt him down and kill him don't you?" the older vampire continued.

Angel felt his face shift into its demonic visage. "I know you'll try."

Pain smiled, revealing his fangs. "Oh I'll do rather more than try Angelus. And those sweet children too."

* * *

Faith bit her bottom lip as the massive demon charged her. At the last second, she darted to the demon's right, her Scythe flying up in a smooth motion to rip through three fingers of the beast's hand, dropping the digits to the floor.

Even as the monster roared in agony, Faith let out a triumphant yell that turned into a croak when the gargantuan's fingers immediately grew back. Stunned by the beast's amazing recovery, she failed to react when the creature grabbed her by the back of her neck and flung her into the near-by wall.

The back of her head slammed into the wall, causing her to black out for a second. Legs failing her she fell forward, onto her knees. Before she could recover her footing, the demon was on her, his heavy fists smashing into her back with devastating impact. Again and again she tried to rise, but again and again, the monster's power pounded her down.

* * *

Buffy's heart leapt into her mouth as she saw the beating her fellow Slayer was getting. Slowly but surely her and the other Slayers were wiping out Pain's childes, but Faith was going to get killed and, she winced as she blocked a shot to her head on her shoulder, nothing she could do about it.

* * *

Wood glared at him, wincing slightly as he put weight on his ankle. "Neat trick Harris," the Kalian double agent complimented him. "I'm almost glad you managed it, I'm having so much fun kicking your ass."

"Kicking my ass?" Xander raised an eyebrow. "And that's what happened last time we fought."

Wood shrugged. "You got lucky, it happens. Not this time though."

"We'll see," Xander readied himself for the principal's next onslaught. But when it came he was completely unprepared.

"You know you were always a joke to Faith," the principal smiled. "The eager little virgin she deflowered. She told me the thing that worried her most about coming back here was seeing you with your tongue hanging out, too dumb to get the message that the only connection you had was skin. Always said she was relieved she'd moved onto a real man. Me."

Xander stopped dead, Faith wouldn't say that. The old Faith sure, but now? Distracted by his thoughts, he failed to note his adversary's advance until the principal's fist exploded against his forehead, knocking him back against the wall.

* * *

Angel sensed Lord Pain's attack an instant before his rival exploded into action. Sliding under the bigger vamp's right cross, he retaliated with an uppercut that knocked his adversary back a step. Anxious to press his advantage, he stepped forward - right into a headbutt that squashed his nose against his face. Tears of pain blinding him, he stumbled backwards but the older demon was relentless, driving blow after blow into his body.

Finally, exhausted, Angel dropped to one knee. Before Pain had chance to launch another attack, he reached up, grabbed his rival behind his knee and pulled.

His rival let out a surprised gasp before falling backwards. Angel lunged forward, only to catch the tip of his opponent's foot square on his chin, knocking him onto his back, the back of his head cracking painfully on the ground.

* * *

The principal grabbed him in a headlock, attempting to choke the life out of him. Reaching into reserves he didn't know he had, Xander looped an arm around his assailant's waist and propelled him through a near-by office window. Unfortunately for him, his opponent failed to release his hold on his head and as a result the teacher's momentum also carried him through the window.

His fall came to an end on a hard, unforgiving desk just inside the room, the effect of being sandwiched between the table and the principal forced the last air out of his body. In the distance he could hear Wood cursing as the teacher climbed to his feet. He winced as the African-American grabbed him by the hair and pulled him off the table and onto the floor, further jarring his already battered body. "Gotta give you credit Harris," his opponent emphasised the remark with a kick to the ribs. "You're tougher than I thought."

"Shut up!" Xander's hand flew up, the shard of glass he'd snatched up off the table embedding itself deep into the shaven-headed man's left thigh.

"Ah shit!" a look of disbelief on his face, Wood toppled backwards, falling onto the room's other desk and onto the floor behind it.

"God, I thought teachers were annoying in my day, but you take the biscuit."

Groaning at the effort, Xander forced himself to his feet, ignoring the pain pulsing through his ravaged body. Seeing his opponent was also struggling upright, he snatched up the computer monitor on the desk between them and flung it at the unprepared principal's head.

The monitor hit its target, snapping his adversary's head to one side with such force that he heard the man's neck crack and watched with relief as his rival fell soundlessly to the floor, finally dead. Exhausted, he lent onto the desk behind him. "Thanks Unc," he muttered. If not for his Uncle Marcus teaching him that anything could be used as a weapon he'd have lost that fight.

"Xander!" he looked up to see a panting Giles stood in the doorway. "You're alright!"

"I won," he corrected wryly. "Alright is a whole different thing." His face turned pensive. "Any news."

"Not yet," Giles replied. "Let's head back to the hotel."

Xander nodded wearily. He really needed a hospital, he suspected his left shoulder was dislocated, and knew Wood had cracked some of his ribs, and given him a concussion Giles would be proud of but he wasn't going anywhere until he'd seen his children.

* * *

For a moment, darkness beckoned, but sensing the other vampire rising, Angel shook it off and leapt to his feet. His fangs showing, Pain leapt at him. Angel waited until the last second before sidestepping and driving his knee upwards at his rival's groin, Pain's eyes widened as he saw the trap, and his opponent managed to partially twist away and catch the attack on his thigh.

Cursing, Angel tried for a right hook to the head. Again though Pain avoided his attack, this time by squatting beneath the punch. Angel grunted when the older vampire responded by burying a left in his gut and driving a heel into his shin. Still woozy from the inadvertent kick to the face he'd received, Angel stumbled backwards.

Pain beamed. "Well this was pathetically easy," the older demon taunted. "Once you're dead I think I'll hunt down your boy and the brats, kill them. They're no use to me now that you ruined the ceremony." The vampire's face beamed. "But then killing's its own reward."

"Shut up!" Angel lunged forward, his demon rippling to the surface as he sunk his fangs deep into Lord Pain's thick neck. Surprised, the demon began to bombard his body with punch after punch. Angel ignored the havoc being wrecked on his body to hold on, draw his stake, and plunge it deep into his rival's heart. Pain's eyes widened in furious shock, a second later he exploded into dust.

Exhausted, Angel slumped against the wall, forcing his demon back under control. Finally satisfied he had Angelus chained he looked up. "You can come out now," he raised his eyebrow as Connor led the children out of the shadows behind him. "One day, you'll listen to what I say." Although it was lucky he was a vampire, because he didn't fancy holding his breath waiting.

"Are you alright Uncle Angel?"

Angel smiled at Hoppy's concerned face before sweeping her and her brother into his arms, ignoring the weariness sweeping through his body. "Are you two okay?" he asked, the children both nodded. "In that case I'm fine."

"Do you think Mummy will be alright, that demon was awful scary?" Lex commented.

Angel hid his concern behind a smile. "Your mummy's real tough Lex," he replied. "She'll be fine." God, he silently pleaded, don't make me a liar.

* * *

Faith screamed as she rolled onto her side and kicked out blindly, hoping to hit the demon to give her body a respite from the savagery it had endured. She winced as her entire body jarred with the connecting impact even as she rejoiced at her attacker's surprised grunt. Discarding her abused body's whimpers, she leapt to her feet.

Seeing the demon's sledgehammer sized fist hurtling towards her face, she ducked beneath the assault and slammed a right into her assailant's stomach. Tears that combined pain and frustration sprang into her eyes when she cracked two knuckles with her attack. How the hell was she supposed to fight something she couldn't even hurt?

She groaned when the monster grabbed her by the shoulder and lifted up into the air, his iron grip splintering bone. She was helpless to prevent the beast from backhand slapping her across the face, the blow sending blood flying and shattering her nose. A half-second later and she was flying through the air and back into the wall. "This is starting to get really old," she muttered through battered lips, the viscera from her mouth leaking onto the floor.

Hope flared as she saw the dropped Scythe some thirty feet away. Normally such a leap would be effortless, but in her weakened state... Seeing the giant closing on her she started to half limp, half run to her hoped for salvation, diving the last few feet. As soon she grasped the weapon she felt renewed vigour flow through her veins, pushing away the pain of just a few seconds ago. Smirking, she leapt to her feet.

And into a raking left to the chest that both tore her muscle vest open and left a trio of bloody furrows across her bosom. "Ah fuck!" Her chest bathed in fiery agony, Faith staggered backwards before leaping forward, feinting with a swing at the demon's right before turning the Scythe and slamming the shaft end into the monster's groin. "How you like it shithead?" she snarled. 

The demon's response was immediate and painful. Letting out a howl it sent a heel crashing through her guard and into her stomach, lifting her into the air and flinging her through the door Angel and her babies had fled through.

Sweat and blood pouring down her frame in more or less equal measure, Faith staggered to her feet, her hands still wrapped around the Scythe. She winced as jolting pain shot through her left knee, obviously she's hurt it in the fall. As the demon squeezed through the doorway, she limped to meet it. Seeing its hand sweep down to grab her hair she ignored the temptation to duck and allowed the beast to lift her into the air. When she was level with the creature's chest she thrust out with her Scythe, slicing through the beast's neck. 

Instantly the beast exploded into dust, sending her crashing face-first to the ground. Her body trembling with the effort, she placed her hands in front of her and started to stand. "And still the champion," she croaked through bloodied lips. And then it all went black.


	18. 18

**Actions & Consequences (18/19)**

Xander winced as he stared through the door's window to the slumbering body inside. He himself had ended the night with a dislocated right shoulder, three cracked ribs, two broken fingers, and a concussion, but next to Faith he'd got off lucky. Her injuries consisted of two broken fingers, three cracked vertebrae, a cracked sternum, a broken right shoulder, four broken ribs, a lacerated liver, broken nose and jaw, torn left knee ligaments, and considerable blood loss. It was a miracle she was alive at all, doubly so when you considered Buffy had driven the car to the hospital. If it wasn't for that fact she was a Slayer she'd probably be walking with a stick for the rest of her life. As it was, Faith was looking at least a week's hospital stay even with her powers. Whatever she thought of him, he grimaced as Wood's words repeated themselves in his head, she really loved their kids.

"Daddy, is Mummy," Hoppy took a rattling breath. "Is Mummy going to die?"

"No, of course not," he smiled down at his two children. The last two days had been hectic, Faith had been such a mess that Giles, Angel, and him had jointly decided that it was best for both her and the children to keep them separate until she'd healed up some to prevent any upset.

At least that was the theory until Lex and Hoppy had started their obviously highly practiced wailing duet which had led Giles to comment 'children of a Slayer? Wesley, be a good chap and see if there's any prophecies about the children of Satan.'. After two days they'd caved in to the children's demands. And for some reason he'd been volunteered for the duty just when he wanted to avoid all possible contact with the Slayer. "She's a Slayer."

"But Vi and Rona were Slayers and they," Lex's bottom lip began to tremble, "died."

Xander's heart tightened at the thought of the two Slayers who'd died protecting his children. "They were hurt much worse than your mother." 

"Yeah," commented his designated driver, "only Wolverine-."

"Andrew?" "Yes Xander?" "Shut up," Xander turned to his children. "When you go in be quiet and be sure not to touch your mummy." 

"Not even a hug?" now Hoppy's eyes watered. "But mummy gives wicked hugs."

"Your mummy's very sore and you don't want to hurt her, okay?" the two toddlers nodded. "Good. Now you go in and I'll watch from the door."

"Are you not coming with us daddy?" Lex queried.

"I want you to have some time alone with your mummy," he lied. Right now he couldn't stand to be in the same room as her.

* * *

Hearing the door creak open, Faith opened a swollen eye, a curse on her battered lips. All these fucking doctors prodding and poking at her, if she didn't look like shit right now she'd think they were copping feels. Her curse died unspoken when she saw her kids stood in the doorway, nervous expressions on their beautiful faces. Heart pounding hard enough to hurt her aching ribs, she smiled, ignoring the pain in her jaw. "Hi babies, come to see mummy?" Angel and G had said they were okay, but until now, until she'd seen them, she'd not really believed it. Too much had gone wrong in her life for her to easily believe in something going right.

"Are you gonna be five by five mummy?"

Faith was stuck between amusement at hearing Lex use her catchphrase and guilty happiness at the worried looks on her children's faces. Somebody, not just somebody her babies, actually cared about her. Her mom was wrong, she wasn't worthless. "This," she winked, "is nothing for a Slayer. I'll soon be as pretty as ever. Now why don't you come and lie next to me, one on each side. There's nuff room."

"Daddy said we weren't to touch you 'case it hurt you," Hoppy commented, her voice timid.

"Hurt me? My kids hurt me, you wouldn't do that would you?" her children shook their heads. "Then that's settled, over here now."

Beaming smiles splitting their faces in two, her children ran over to her, one climbing on either side of her bed, the pain she felt from their slight frames resting on her pummelled body more than offset by the buzz she got from their closeness. She looked up to see her unsmiling fellow parent stood in the doorway, she'd kinda hoped he'd come to see her over the last couple of days so they could talk about their plans for the children, something to look forward to but nothing. "Hey X," she greeted. "Wanna grab a seat?"

To her disappointment the man shook his head. "I'm fine here thanks, thought you could do with some alone time with them."

"K," Faith nodded. There was something else going on here, but she was lost as to what. She turned her attention back to her children. "Now, have you been being good for your daddy?" they both nodded their heads. She chuckled. "Somehow I doubt that."

"We have momma," Hoppy's bottom lip quivered. "'Cause if we were bad, God might decide we didn't deserve to have another chance at a mummy and daddy, and take you away."

"Hey, hey, hey," gritting her teeth against the pain, she pulled her babies closer. "Remember, none of this is your fault, okay? Now, what ya being doing that's so good?" She listened with interest as Hoppy told her about Granpa Giles teaching her to spell everybody's name and how Connor was teaching Lex to fence.

Before she knew it Xander was speaking . "Kids, time to go."  
  
"But daddy-."

"Lex," Xander's voice turned firm. "Your mummy needs her rest to get better. Besides Aunties Willa and Kennedy are bringing you tomorrow."

"Okay daddy." Lex kissed her on the right cheek just as Hoppy did on the other side. "Bye bye."

"See ya tomorrow kiddos," Faith beamed at her babies. Xander turned to lead the children out, licking her lips, she spoke. "X, can we talk?"

"I'm sorta of busy, I need-."

"Please," she pleaded. She hated to beg, but she had to know what she'd done. What if tomorrow morning he'd disappeared with the kids because he was pissed with her and she never saw them again?

"Fine," Xander nodded before crouching by the children. "Now you two go and stand with your Uncle Andrew, and be good, okay?"

"Okay daddy," the duo chorused. "Bye mummy!"

"Bye." The atmosphere chilled by several degrees as the door closed behind her proudest achievements. For a long second the two of them stared at one another. Finally she spoke. "Pretty harsh bruises X, you get them off Wood?" G had told her about Xander dealing with the double-agent.

Bitterness flickered in Xander's eyes. "Yeah, your wonderful ex."

Faith was confused, was Xander jealous of her and Wood? No, that couldn't be it, he wasn't interested, unless... "I wasn't thinking of grabbing the kids and going on the run with Wood or anything like that Xan, I wouldn't do that to you-."

The male Scooby's bitter laugh interrupted her. "Sure you wouldn't, yet you spent plenty of time telling him what a pitiful excuse for a man I was!"

"Uh," Faith shook her head. She'd said so no such thing, whenever Wood had bagged on Xander for not talking to her she'd told him about what a great guy the founding Scooby was. "I never said that."

"That's not what he said."  
  
"And you believe him!" Now Faith was leaving confused behind and motoring straight on to pissed. "After all he tried to do!"

"It's not like you and honesty have a great track record. Besides he knew 'it was just skin'."

Faith flinched as Xander flung her words from all those years ago back at her. Oh crap. "Xan, truth is, he asked me about all of you, what I'd done, Why," she looked down, "why you hated me. Say," she looked up, "he was awful interested in you, Wes, and G. Think he was trying to scope out a possible father?"

Xander's look of distrust hadn't completely disappeared. "Could have," he shrugged. "Or just been playing the role of concerned boyfriend." The man turned to go, then turned back to her. "What did you think of me back then?"

Faith took a breath. Time for the truth. "You were just B's hanger-on," the man winched slightly. "'Til the night you saved my life and we slept together. I mean first you give enough of a crap about me to risk your life to save me and then for the first time in my life a guy's treating me like a woman and not a sex-toy. I might have laughed about you to B," in fact she was pretty sure she hadn't, "but it touched me. No guy 'sides Riley who thought he was boning B at the time," not her proudest moment she admitted, "as ever been so tender with me. I thought maybe we could have something."

"Then why didn't you let me help you?"

"Fuck Xan," Faith shook her head. "I was sinking fast, first I just wanted to scare you away so I didn't drag you down with me. When you wouldn't leave I got mad, I was doing it for your own good, I didn't mean-."

Suddenly she was crying, memories of the night she'd nearly killed Xander together with the trauma of the past few days over-whelming her. "Hey, hey," Xander's arms were around her. "It's okay, I just wore turtlenecks for a week and told everyone you gave vicious hickeys." Xander paused. "Which was also true." She giggled tremulously. "I'm sorry for believing him."

"Not like you got any reason to believe me," Faith looked up. "What about Wolfram & Hart, they're still in the game?"

Xander grinned. "Wanna bet?"

* * *

"I'm sorry," Buffy grabbed the several hundred pound reception desk, tore it up from the steel bolts pinning it to the ground and flung it across the lobby. "I don't have an appointment." a burly and extremely stupid security guard leapt at her, she grabbed his hand, squeezed until fingers broke, and flung him into the near-by wall. "But I'm jumping the queue. Anyone mind?" When no-body spoke, she beamed. "Gee. You people at W&H really are all about the common people." In an instant her smile was gone. "Willow with me, Kennedy take the Slayers and kill anything vaguely non-human."

* * *

Georgina Ram strode the boardroom floor, her face a mask of rage. The last few administrations had been singularly unimpressive. But that changed now. Why she was -.

She fell screaming to the floor as the wooden double doors exploded inward. "Nice trick Will," commented the diminutive blond who walked in through the ruined doorway like she owned the building. "David Copperfield's got nothing on you."

"Thanks Buffy," commented the pretty red-head who followed the blonde into the boardroom.

Buffy? Will? Ram felt the blood drain from her face. The longest-lived Slayer of all time who Death was afraid of? The Wicca who'd almost ended the world and just days ago had caused the empowerment of potentially hundreds of Slayers? Deciding bluster was her best defence, she rose and stepped forward. "Now see here, I'll have you know that W&H employ a full body of security cam-."

"Turned 'em off before we entered," the witch smiled. "It's amazing what you can do with a little bit of magic." The Wicca winked. "Magic's real you know."

"Security will be -."

"I think," she gasped when the blond lifted her up by her collar and dropped her into the nearest seat, "they'll be occupied with the other four Slayers looking for demons to kill."

"Maybe we should have introduced a point system as an incentive scheme," suggested the red-head. "You know, kill a fledgling get a watch, a Master a clock, and a Polgara a microwave."

Buffy nodded approvingly. "Good thinking. I'll bring it up at the next council meeting," the blonde turned to her. "She's the brains, I'm the muscle." The legend's face turned serious, her eyes growing cold enough to chill the room. "Listen up and listen good, Xander, Faith, and their children are off limits."

Georgina remembered the first thing she'd ever learnt, deny everything. "I'm sure nobody at this law firm-."

She was interrupted by the Slayer picking her up, flinging her onto the boardroom table and wrapping an impossibly strong hand around her throat. "I'm sorry contestant," the Slayer said, her voice sing-song, "that's the wrong answer." Once again the small woman's eyes hardened. "How many Slayers we got world-wide Will?"

There was a pause. "Three hundred and thirty-eig-, wait thirty-nine, another one's just hit puberty and been called."

"Three hundred and thirty-nine Slayers," there was nothing soft about Buffy's smile. "I've got my own little army. Your people take this office and move off dimension."

"That's not my -."

"Willow, you got that list of Wolfram & Hart's clients?"

"Fresh off their computers this morning."

"I think I'll start killing the A's tomorrow," Ram swallowed. "Soon every demon in this dimension will know that doing business with you is a very bad idea." Buffy released the grip around her throat. "You've got 24 hours to close this place down or I'll be back."

* * *

"Angel," Giles sat down opposite him. "I have a proposal to make. Watching your team work over the last few days has convinced me of the changes in both Wesley and yourself." He opened his mouth to ask what changes but the Englishman beat him to it. "While in Sunnydale I always had the feeling you were in the fight for the sole reason of impressing Buffy. Here though, you've built something, pulled a group together who believe in you. To this end." The middle-aged man's voice trailed off.

"Go on." Angel encouraged.

"I'd like to make Wesley the head of Watcher West, place maybe half a dozen Slayers here for training with yourself and the others. Both Wesley and Fred are more than adequate with the occult and yourself, Gunn, and Wesley are more than capable fighters."

For a moment Angel stared at the Watcher, dumb-struck by the suggestion, before smiling. "If the others are interested, yes. Two conditions though, I'd like to hire my son and a detective Kate Lockley as Watchers too. You've seen how Connor can fight," he grinned at the pride he heard in his voice, "and Kate is dogged and determined, a good role model for any Slayer."

"I'm agreeable," Giles nodded. "I'll increase the numbers of Slayers to eight in that case." The Englishman looked puzzled and then distressed as he glanced through the window. "Oh dear, I do believe your son's lifespan could well be measured in seconds."

Angel paled as he looked over his shoulder to where his son and the others were. "Oh crap." And he thought Faith was an unwise choice.

* * *

"Hi, Connor."

Hel-," Connor's greeting died when he stared into Dawn's eyes, mesmerised by the beauty he saw there. Holtz had always taught him the way to impress a young lady was to act with reserve. Drawing himself up to his full height, he spoke. "Good day Miss Summer-."

"21st century Connor." He was cut off by Dawn pressing the softest lips he'd ever tasted to his.

* * *

"Oh good lord," Wesley commented.

"Perhaps somebody," he glanced over his shoulder to see his fellow Englishman hurrying out of the office, "should warn him about Buffy's psychotic tendencies regarding her sister." 

"Hey, this is the guy who threw us over for Jasmine," Gunn pointed out. "I'm not warning him."

"Gunn," Angel protested.

"And locked you in a box underwater for three months," Wesley added. 

"Ah well," an Angelus like look appeared on his friend's face. "It would be a shame to interfere in young love and it's not like he listens to me."


	19. 19

Actions (19/19)

Jul '04

"Fuck!" Faith groaned as she stared at the test result. Wouldn't you fucking know it, her life starts going good. Now this. She chuckled bitterly, every test she'd had, she'd failed. She had to speak to someone but who? Xander was out for obvious reasons. B, nah, they still had a mutual hate thing going on. Angel wouldn't exactly be unbiased. Giles? Nah, Faith grinned, the old guy was getting on, this news might cause a short-circuit. But there was always… Grabbing her cell, she quickly dialled a number and waited impatiently for an answer. "Yeah Red, I need some urgent help-, fuck Red!" she half-fell off the toilet seat when the red-head teleported into the bathroom beside her. "You shouldn't be doing that to a woman in my condition."

"Is there something wrong with Xander, the kids, or," Willow's mouth dropped open. "Your condition?"

"I believe the term is bun in my oven." Her eyes widened as Willow fainted. "Ah crap. I thought she'd take it better than that!"

* * *

Willow's vision swam for a few seconds upon awakening but upon it clearing she looked up into Faith's worried doe-like eyes. "Hey Red," the Slayer drawled, her tone casual. "Making a pregnant woman carry your fat ass is not advisable." 

"Sor-, wait!" Willow's eyes flashed. "Do not have a fat ass."

"Felt like it," Faith's eyes rolled theatrically. "If not for Slayer strength."

"Ha ha," she pouted for a second. "So pregnant," oh gossip, she loved gossip. "Who's the father?" She nearly asked 'do you know?', but decided to give Faith more credit.

Faith glanced to the floor. "Xander."

"Again!" She squawked. Then, noting the younger girl's grimace, continued in a softer tone. "Sorry, but I didn't know you two were.."

"Making the beast with two backs? Bumping uglies? Doing the horizontal hula? Banging bodies? Humping like dogs on heat?" Faith supplied with a grin.

Willow reddened. "I was going to say involved."

"Yeah," Faith's face sobered. "Things were wicked hard at first. X started his carpentry business and I got a part-time job teaching self-defence to women. We didn't argue or nothing, but Xander was distant, kinda like you'd be to someone you knew from work but not to talk to, I didn't expect him to be all over me or nothing, but I thought maybe we could be buds, but it wasn't working out like that. We were just two people who happened to share a house and two kids." Faith's smile brightened her face. "That changed at Christmas though."

* * *

"Damn it," Faith looked down at the cooking tray. She'd fucked up again, sixteen pounds, it should be ready now. Her heart shrivelled as she looked at the measurement table and realised that instead of the three hours she'd put the turkey in for, she should have put it in for four and three quarters. "Oh crap." X was going to kill her, especially as he'd wanted to go to the Christmas shindig with G and the others but she'd put her foot down. She'd wanted to have a Christmas with just her, him, and their babies, to make up for all those with them that they'd missed. And now she'd screwed up. 

"Need help with anything?"

She almost jumped at Xander's voice from the doorway. Refusing to look up to see the condemnation she knew would be there, she replied. "Not a lot of point," she replied bitterly. "I messed up the cooking time. Dinner's a bust." Should stick to what she's good at, fucking and fighting. She waited for his explosion.

"No big deal."

"No big deal!" Angry now, she turned towards Xander. "I wanted this to be perfect for them!" She pointed towards the lounge. "I wanted to show you that I was a good mother! That I was better than -," her voice trailed off.

"Better than yours?" Xander shook his head. "You're way better than yours and mine ever were. Who decorated the house with me, who took them to see Santa, helped me shop for the kids' presents?" Xander rolled his good eye. "Who insisted that I go three hundred bucks over the budget to get Hoppy's doll-house and Lex's train set? Let's face it, what kid likes turkey anyhow?"

And who spent that last six weekends building a clubhouse for their children outside in the middle of winter? It wouldn't be a carpenter she knew would it? Faith smiled. "It really doesn't matter?"

"Faith, it really doesn't matter," Xander winked and turned. "Kids!" he hollered. "Me and your mom have decided turkey's boring. We're going to have pizza!"

"Yaaa!"

Xander turned and grinned at her. "Seems they've had your cooking, waaay too many times."

"Asshole."

* * *

"After that things were way better, we played with the kids, took them out together. Then it was New Year's Eve and we had too much to drink and I was horny, he was horny. The sex, man," Faith shook her head. "It blew my mind. Back in the day, X was a twenty minute man." 

"Ugh," Willow shuddered. "Too much detail."

"But that night, man we were on fire." Faith's eyes widened. "Seven times! I mean I can go all night, but I've never met a guy who could manage more than five!"

Willow felt as if her cheeks got any redder she'd catch fire. "So then you were a couple?"

Faith's face fell. "No," she shook her head.

* * *

A Cheshire grin on her face, Faith rolled off Xander. "Hey X, learnt some tricks," she praised before placing a tender kiss on her partner's stubbly cheek while running a soft hand down her lover's chest. Xander had lost a lot of the extra fat he'd been carrying after Sunnydale and looked damn good on it too, throw in the air of danger the eye-patch gave him and he was a million miles away from the geeky virgin she'd boned a lifetime ago. "Built up your stamina too." 

Xander chuckled. "Anya wouldn't," her partner's voice trailed off and in the half-light, she saw his face tighten. "Oh god, Faith," his head shaking Xander rose. "I'm so sorry, this is a mistake."

"A mistake?" Faith felt her stomach hollow in pain. "But we've just had amazing sex. We really could have something spec-."

"I'll sleep in your room tonight, you stay here." Immobilised by shock, she could only watch as Xander stumbled out of the room. Faith's eyes burnt, a cold loneliness gripping her. This was how he must have felt after she'd thrown him out.

* * *

"That was harsh," Willow said for want of anything else to say. 

Faith shrugged. "Guy loves her, not like me. I'm just convenient, a pretty face and kick-ass body that's always ready to go."

"I'm sure Xander doesn't think like that at all."

"Maybe, I don't know, I mean." Faith fell silent. "Things were real hard for a month. We lost the closeness we'd had over Christmas, there weren't anything fights or nothing, he just wouldn't talk, couldn't bear to look at me."

"Oh Faith,. I'm sorry," sometimes Xander had the sensitivity of a brick.

"But, things got better. Valentines' day I went to work, got three Valentines' cards, my first ever." Willow blinked, but Faith was gorgeous, had guys hanging off her like limpets. Faith chuckled at her expression. "Guys I hung with back in the day weren't exactly romantic Red. Their idea of showing a girl a good time was telling her not to bother with underwear 'cause she wouldn't be needing it by the end of the evening. Then when I picked the kids up from school two of the dads gave me cards too." Faith winked. "And one of the other moms too. But nothing from Xander until I got home."

* * *

"Momma!" 

Faith looked up at her son's shout. "Lexy, I'll get you a juice in a minute. Okay sweetie?"

"Momma I think you should come out to the garage."

Faith sighed. There was an urgency in her baby's tone that wouldn't be denied. "Five by five." Seconds later she was stood in the dimly-lit garage looking at Hoppy holding a huge card that was nearly her height and Lex struggling under the weight of a teddy bear that was even taller than him. "What's this?"

"It's an apology," Xander stepped out of the shadows, his face nervous. "Over the past year you've really tried with the kids and made this place a great home. And most of the time I've acted like an ass. I was wondering," Xander's feet shuffled nervously. "I was wondering if you'd like to go out on a date to Il Firetitos."

"That's the classiest place in town," Faith protested. "They won't let you in in leathers."

"Ah," Xander reddened. "That's the other part of your present. There's a black cocktail dress on your bed." Xander's blush deepened. "And no way am I shopping for one of those again. If you want to?"

In answer she pressed her lips to Xander, sliding her tongue into his mouth. "Dad! Mom!" Heedless to the disgusted cries of her children Faith continued kissing Xander for some time.

* * *

Faith's eyes shone. "It was wicked. He'd ordered a freaking horse and carriage to take us there, and when we got there, there was a bouquet of roses waiting for me. And afterwards, man that guy knows how to be tender when he makes love to a woman. We've been together ever since." 

"And now you're pregnant?"

"Yeah, and I'm scared Red. I mean last time I was pregnant, I didn't get morning sickness, didn't change nuthin' 'cept stop smoking. But this time I'm gonna see myself fat," the horrified look on Faith's face was almost comical.

Almost. "But that's not what's really scaring you is it?"

"No," Faith looked down on the floor. "I know X won't run out on me, but I want more, I want his heart."

Willow did so hope Faith didn't mean on a silver platter. Pushing aside the uncharitable thought, she spoke. "I can't advise you except to say you should be having this conversation with Xander and not me. And you deserve one another."

"Thanks," Faith's brow furrowed. "Hey! Was that an insult?"

* * *

"X," Xander looked up to see the Slayer stood in the lounge doorway, her face nervous. "I need to talk to you about somethin'." 

"Okay," this sounded bad. He threw down the paper he'd been reading. "Is it the kids? Are they ok-."

"They're cool, Miss Cleaver has them. X," Faith took a rattling breath. "This thing we have isn't just sex is it?"

"Faith, of course not. I like you a lot. What's this about?"

"You don't love me?"

"Faith," he was about to say no and then he realised that in fact he did "Faith, I can't imagine what it would be like to never again wake up with your head resting on the pillow next to me. Or never watch you when you make breakfast, or hold your hand while queuing in a store, or to hold you in my arms. Or to see your eyes light up when the kids make you proud or hear you laugh at something they say. So, yes I do. Faith, what's this about, are you ill?" Could Slayers get ill?

"Kinda," Faith took a breath. "I'm pregnant."

For a second Xander stared stunned at the table before him. Then, he smiled slowly. "I'm going to be a dad again?"

"Yeah," Faith whispered.

Xander's grin spread until he was sure it was cutting his face in half. Pulling the ring-pull of his coke can, he dropped onto one knee before the Slayer. "Faith, will you marry me?"

* * *

Dec '04 

"Oh god!" Faith felt a rare moment of self-doubt as she stared into the full-length mirror, the long flowing white, virginal white now there was a laugh, dress she was wearing looked out of place on her. Even worse she was seven months pregnant and fat. Everyone was going to laugh when they saw her. "I look ridiculous."

"You look beautiful to me."

Spinning around, she grinned at Angel stood in the doorway looking damn hot in his tuxedo. "You came!"

The vampire smiled at her before walking in and giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Give up the chance to give a girl away on her wedding day?" he chuckled. "Besides, it's not likely I'd turn up the opportunity to have a father of the bride talk to Xander."

"Don't you dare," she growled. "You do that and I'll," she searched for a threat. "Dip your dick in a glass of holy water."

Angel shuddered. "I'll consider myself warned. Wes, Connor, and Lorne came with me."

Faith grinned. "Greenie gonna sing?"

"He promised. Faith," her mentor hesitated. "You sure about this, marrying Xander?"

"Fang, he looks after me. I never thought I'd have a guy be proud to be with me like he is, make me feel so wanted."

"Despite everything between us he's a good man," Angel nodded. "But if you ever need anything…."

"I'll call you," she finished.

"Make sure you do," Angel offered her his elbow. "Shall we?"

Faith's breath hitched at the sight of Lorne standing next to a bewildered looking vicar, the demon's voice blasting out throughout the crowded church filled with their friends from the old life and new. Giles was there, sat with B, Wes, and Con. Kennedy and Dawn were too, the former looking less than happy at the bridesmaid's outfits her and Dawn were wearing. All the people from her work were there and many of the friends they'd made since moving to Hardin, Texas. "You look like a princess mummy."

"And you," Faith crouched down beside Hoppy, her flower girl. "Are the most beautiful little girl in the world. And look," she pointed to the front of the church where Xander was stood with Willow as his Best Person, and Lex as the Ring-Bearer, "don't your daddy and brother look handsome?"

"Yeah," her daughter nodded.

"You ready Faith?" she nodded. "You know," the vampire whispered in her ear, "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks Fang," she replied before turning her gaze back to her husband to be. "I love you," she mouthed through eyes shining with happy tears at the stunned look on her lover's face. Today Boston biker bitch Faith Stone was buried and homicidal Slayer Faith Wilkins put to rest. Today Faith Harris, loving mother of two, soon to be three, wonderful kids and loyal wife of the world's sweetest guy, was born.


End file.
